My Name Is Bluesage
by WarriorsErin
Summary: Underneath the false skin the Clans wear, their lives are riddled with secrets. Bluesage's life is one apart from the others. It's perfect. His sister is deputy, and he's content. Then he's offered the chance to fulfil his dreams. He's offered the chance to go to the place where avalanches run wild and trees whisper in your ears. Wouldn't anybody want their dreams to become true?
1. Prologue: The Stormy Gathering

**Hey there everybody! Gosh darn, my hands are shaking while I type this, I'm so excited. So, before I explode or throw up, who's ready for My Name is Bluesage?**

* * *

Only a few cats were at the Gathering tonight. it was windy, dark, and most of all, cold. Every other cat was at their respective homes, warm and safe. In the distance, a rumble indicated an incoming avalanche. The wind howled even more, sending shards of ice and snow battering against an exposed ledge above a valley coated in thick snow. Hidden behind a stubborn pine, the leaders of the Clans and their deputies huddled together, speaking in loud tones to be heard over the noise.

"Is every cat safe?" asked one tabby leader.

"Everybody except us, Freezestar!" Avalanchestar grumbled.

"Hey, we needed to meet, even if it meant that we risked our lives! Anyway, we _do_ have nine lives." mewed a white striped shecat.

"Shadestar, some of us only have one life!" The PineClan deputy protested.

"Fishgaze, you could have turned down being deputy if you wanted to. Being here is your fault." Olivestar, the PinClan leader, spoke up for the first time.

"You're my sister! You'd think that your sister would side with you!" Fishgaze protested jokingly.

"Just because I'm your sister doesn't mean that I should favour you." Olivestar replied scathingly.

"Okay, before anyone else-" Avalanchestar glared pointedly at the siblings. "Continues to interrupt, I think we should get on with the meeting? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to go home."

"I can't believe I even came up here in the first place!" Aspencloud, the pretty ValleyClan deputy, groaned.

"Well, excuse me! I've got two kits at home, who I'd rather be with than here with you!"

"Stormlake!" The blue grey shecat's leader snapped at her.

"What?" Stormlake whipped back at her leader. Avalanchestar growled, his tri-coloured fur spiking as he glared at his deputy. Neither of them would back down, equal in wits, sarcasm, and most of all, stubbornness.

Right before the figures of BirchClan started lashing out at each other, Shadestar stepped in.

"Woah there." The quiet AlpineClan leader, Shadestar, slipped in between the Clanmates. The pale grey and white striped shecat blocked the two from leaping at each other. In doing so, she stepped outside into the bitter wind. Her thick fur was buffeted by the gale, but the leader was used to the cold, living at the top of the mountain, close to the stars. "Stormlake, I am sure that Avalanchestar offered you the choice to step down from deputy until your kits were of age. My fellow leader, I think that you picked your deputy wisely. She's as loyal, if not more, than you are to your Clan."

Avalanchestar sat down, his black, brown and white pelt relaxing as he calmed himself down. Stormlake followed him, but she couldn't resist sending him a sharp, haughty look. The dappled leader rolled his ice blue eyes. Just then, Sleetshadow, Shadestar's deputy, slipped in, formed of night and storm, carrying a warm, snow covered winter rabbit.

"Shadestar, I got a rabbit. Everything else worth eating has gone and hidden from the storm."

Shadestar smiled at her deputy. "Thanks, Sleetshadow. And you're just in time to hear Olivestar's announcement!"

Staring down Stormlake, Avalanchestar didn't hear her reply as he fought in a battle of wills against the blue grey shecat.

"We are going to sit here, and talk about our our Clanmates so that we can go home." Shadestar spoke into the howl of the wind. Her voice cut through it like a claw through fur, sharp and efficient. "Olivestar, you go first."

"What?!" Avalanchestar exclaimed, breaking away from his stare-off with Stormlake. "I wanted to go first!"

"Too bad. You snooze, you lose." Olivestar smirked at the leader, before regaining her professional attire.

Avalanchestar swore under his breath. Stormlake nudged him. Hard. Next to her, Sleetshadow shook his long, dripping fur, spraying the BirchClan leader and his deputy in melting ice and snow. Stormlake snorted.

After sending her fellow leader one last look, the PineClan leader stood up and shook out her fur.

"First off, I want to commend one of our warriors, Hopbird, for discovering a hibernating bear's den. I also want to announce the fact that Darkpaw and Cherrypaw have recently joined the apprentices den after six moons in the nursery. Additionally, we've found a one moon old kit wandering through our territory half a moon ago. With the bad weather, we wanted to wait for the Gathering to tell all of you. Is the kit any of yours?"

Olivestar scanned the few gathered cats before continuing. "Okay. Well, Fishgaze and I wanted to ask you if you've had any strange things happen in your territories? Kestrelcreek got trapped under a fallen pine, and then Shadepaw got stuck in a cave. Cherrypaw told us, but by the time we got there, Shadepaw was out of the cave and the branch trapping him inside was gone. Darkpaw got chased by one of those white foxes and was found with the fox guarding him under the hollow tree stump. It wasn't even trying to attack or hurt him! It was just sitting there."

Aspencloud, who was busy delicately nibbling at her share of the snow rabbit, swallowed her bite and choked out, "A _fox?_ " She stared at the PineClan leader.

Freezestar spoke before his deputy could say anything else. "The storm caused the lake to melt even though it's colder. Bloomfoot fell in and almost died because the ice sealed over her. Oakmist got her out, but still, the lake never melts in the middle of leaf-bare." The tabby leader cast a glance across the small space.

"Eaglepaw tried to hunt an eagle by himself and succeeded. That _never_ happens, alright." Shadestar burst out, a frown twisting her face.

"Nothing happened to us." Avalanchestar shrugged. "Guess we're just lucky." BirchClan's leader grinned. "Aaaaaaand, since no other cat has claimed this, I want to go next." He said it in such a blur that no one except Stormlake understood him.

"What?" Fishgaze squinted at the leader. His lazy right eye slid around, not quite following his left as it darted across the cats.

"Hah! Stormlake, it worked!" Avalanchestar acted like a kit for a second, staring at his deputy proudly.

"Yes, yes. StarClan kill me now. You're a leader, not a 27 moon old kit." Stormlake sighed. She caught some of the rabbit in her claws and sent it skidding across the icy stone floor towards the leader. He stared at it, eyes lighting up like the missing stars, and spoke to the prey.

"Anyway, nothing strange has happened in BirchClan. Thornflight and Robinflight became warriors just after the last Gathering. Meltpaw had his medicine cat apprentice ceremony, and now I'm jealous of Olivestar for pulling off such a polite announcement." Then the leader of BirchClan leapt on his share of the rabbit like a bear, demolishing it in seconds. After clearing it away, Avalanchestar sat and sucked on his claws, drinking the juices that were left behind.

Olivestar stared at him for a second.

"What?"

The brown shecat blinked. "Nothing." When Avalanchestar's back was turned, she hissed to Stormlake, "He really does act like a kit."

"I _heard_ that!"

Stormlake muffled a laugh in Aspencloud's fluffy cinnamon fur. The disgruntled deputy turned and shoved Stormlake off her shoulder.

"Well, I claim going next." Shadestar stretched her legs out. Freezestar frowned.

"Wait, that means I'm going last."

"Yes."

"Stars above. You leaders are going to be the end of me."

"Actually, no. I'm planning your death right this very moment." Aspencloud joked. Freezestar gaped at her for half a second, then smiled.

"Funny. I'm doing that this instant."

Aspencloud's fur bristled.

Shadestar stood up and cleared her throat, frowning with her face and smiling with her golden eyes. Frozenstar grumbled. Pulling the remains of the rabbit towards him, he feasted on its tender flesh, keeping his eyes on Shadestar. Sleetshadow nipped it away from the leader and ate most of it, ignoring the leader's irritated stare.

"Before the sun comes up, I'd like to say that Eaglepaw _did_ catch an eagle, Vixenstream and Ottermist have become warriors, thank StarClan. Those two caused _too_ much trouble. Oh, and it's only a half moon left until Lindenkit and Creamkit become apprentices, so yay for Silverpoppy! Those two will at least be less trouble than they were as kits. And Sweetberry has found a new herb that cures frozen-cough, she's called it warmroot, and it's the visible roots of the stunted pine trees found on our territory. She wanted me to tell you that she has harvested a lot of it, and she has some ready for all of your medicine cats, as well as some pine sap from the Ancient Pine as she remembered that the other medicine cats might need it."

Shadestar sat down, and shivered. "Has it gotten colder?"

Freezestar poked his head out of their tiny sanctuary and gazed at the snowy valley below. Snow swirled around his face and ears, frost forming on his whiskers and snow clutching at his ear fur. The tabby retreated back into the considerable warmth of the gathered cats. Shaking, the tom could barely get the words out.

"D-definitel-ly c-c-cold-der."

Aspencloud frowned at her leader.

"Ermm, I think I'll take over from here while Freezestar warms up."

Freezestar nodded enthusiastically. He was still shaking. Sighing, Sleetshadow shoved the tattered scraps of the once rabbit towards Freezestar. The thawing leader smiled gratefully at the deputy before eating the rabbit flesh quietly, savouring every bite.

"Okay, as we've already said, Oakmist carved a hole in the refrozen lake to get Bloomfoot out. She's fine now, but she won't be doing any tasks for the next few weeks while she completely recovers. Clearsong took care of her. Oh, and Icepaw, Dawnpaw and Sunpaw became apprentices half a moon ago."

She sat down, to the confusion of many of the others.

"That's all?" Fishgaze asked.

"What do you expect to happen in a moon?"

Freezestar sat huddled in the warmest corner. All of the rabbit had gone. Aspencloud and Sleetshadow's stomachs rumbled longingly.

"Don't feel bad." Sleetshadow mewed. The ice on Freezestar was thawing and making a pattering noise as it dripped steadily onto the sheltered ground.

"I'm really not looking forward to hiking back down the mountain to get back to camp." The leader's earlier cheerfulness had vanished like growing saplings during a winter storm.

Obeying some unseen order, Sleetshadow flicked an ear and leapt easily out into the cold. The other cats could hear him as he leapt happily through the powder, laughing as the wind cut through his fur.

"How does he do that?" Avalanchestar stared after the figure as he vanished from sight.

"Let's just say that it's cold up in AlpineClan and leave it at that." Shadestar smiled briefly around at the remaining Clan cats.

"Shadestar!" Sleetshadow poked his flecked face into the overhang before leaping out again.

"We could take you down to our camp?" Olivestar offered. Fishgaze nodded.

"Yeah, the pine trees cut out the cold. We'd be fine having you."

Aspencloud glanced at her leader. "I guess we could. Even _I'm_ not looking forward to heading through this storm."

"Sure. Just be careful not to lose us when we take you home." Olivestar bushes out her fur, then the brown shecat leapt out of the shelter, Fishgaze following with slight hesitation just before he left. Aspencloud gently prodded Freezestar in front of her, who paused at the exit before leaping gently out of the small enclave. Aspencloud followed him elegantly, leaving the rest of the leader's behind as the four trudged through the belly deep powder.

Jaws tight, eyes slitted, they made their way resiliently to PineClan's camp on the west side of the mountain. Aspencloud had the journey the easiest, following the tracks the others had made and trotting lightly through the firm, packed snow underneath the powder. A while later, the storm ebbed, and in front of them lay the start of the PineClan forest.

Tall, dark, strong trees started in small sputters, than grew into thicker, more frequent groves before congealing to form a large forest that sheltered deer and bears from the gales that howled near the peak.

"Freezestar, Aspencloud, welcome to PineClan."


	2. Chapter 1: Song of the Birds

**Well, hello everybody! And I hope that you've all read the prologue for this first chapter! It's an amazing amount of 2,983 words! I'm guessing it's a new record.**

 **I've put a bit of myself in Bluesage. You can see it in the paragraph when he admires the view. So go ahead and read! Don't feel afraid to leave a review, I don't bite. Thank you for reading this!**

* * *

 _ **My Name is Bluesage**_

 _ **Song of the Birds**_

* * *

His name is Bluesage. And he is not out tonight because he is BirchClan's deputy. That's his sister's job. No, he's out for a whole other reason. The wind has died down, creating a cocoon of silence around the Clans' mountain. Bluesage isn't here to destroy it.

"Hello?" He called. The tom's coat shone even more blue in the light of the moon. He sat down, waiting for the shecat to come out of the trees into their moonlit clearing. It was beautiful here, sheltered snowdrops blooming where the frost couldn't reach and where the moon and sun could keep them warm. The snow was thick, and the silvery rich trunks of birch guarded them in a silent ethereal ritual. Bluesage sat down, using his thick tail to whisk cover snow out of the way.

"Hello! Are you here?"

He waited for the cat to appear. He couldn't wait long as the sun would eventually rise, bringing cats to the den to call him for the dawn patrol. And they would find that he was gone. They would find out his greatest secret, and nothing would ever be the same again.

Bluesage waited and waited and waited. But she didn't come.

"I guess I'll have to go."

The blue grey tabby tom turned his tail on the clearing, heart weighing heavy, and with a last glance, continued on back home.

* * *

"Bluesage!"

Stormlake's whisper woke him up from a deep sleep. It was a new day, and the previous night's disappointment seemed like a nightmare that melted away in the daytime.

"Yeah?" He poked his head up. Hisses accompanied his loud reply and on the opposite side of the warriors' den, Morningmist hissed at him.

"Keep your voice down brother, otherwise not even my status could save you from our fellow Clan members."

Bluesage looked up and twitched in surprise upon seeing his sister's green eyes so close to his own.

"C'mon!" She hissed, beckoning him with her tail and leaping nimbly over the nests and furry obstacles that sprawled over the path towards the den entrance. He yawned and trotted after her.

Stepping outside, the dawn was dark. The sleepy sun wouldn't rise until much later in the morning. Bluesage shivered. It was cold. The ground crunched audibly under his feet with accumulated snow, and occasionally, he would see the evergreen leaves of buses coated in a thick, shimmering layer of hoarfrost. It was like being in another world. Silence ruled the sheltered camp among the stark silver birch grove, and the stream that ran through the side of the area was frozen in a thick layer of ice. Everything was black or white, shivering crystals of frozen raindrops quivering amongst the branches and woven reeds of the willow that he passed under, lit as if from within with retractions of the light from the dancing moon; but it was all so still, quiet, that he didn't dare to break the thin sheet of peace that blanketed the camp lovingly.

Stormlake led him onwards, the musical clinking of the main willow arches as he passed under them like an otherworldly music. It was so beautiful that he couldn't help but pause, admiring the green light that glowed inside the willow's gentle arms. Winter was the most amazing, ethereal time of year, especially the quiet after a storm like the one that had passed just a day ago. It reminded him of the night when the wind scathingly whipped the mountains until they bled huge, rolling waves of white, serrated mist- the night of the Gathering.

Two nights ago, Stormlake had returned from the Gathering with interesting news. Strange things were happening in the Clans. Oakmist, a ValleyClan tom with one green eyes and one amber, had rescued Bloomfoot, another ValleyClan shecat from drowning in the lake. But nothing had happened to BirchClan. No, it seemed that the trees the Clan was named after had sheltered them from the storm.

Bluesage continued onwards, breaking away from his incredible view and following the mesmerising sway of his sister's tail as she brought him further around the bend about the trunk of the willow. He knew where this led, and hurried, bounding over the protected bare grass and relishing the crackling of the grass as they bowed beneath him.

He slowed, knowing what death befell him if he rushed around the sharp, slippy corner. Taking careful step, Bluesage nudged forwards. Stormlake's voice interrupted his walk as she gazed at the magnificent view on the other side of the trunk from her perch up in the bend of the willow.

"We have a little while before the patrol heads off. I know you love this place."

Bluesage really did. Cautiously, he padded further towards the edge, then braved a little fall as he leapt off the side of the cliff.

And landed in a little known, firm, mossy area that was his full height below the main platform. This was his favourite place. He padded along the narrow path, refusing to look down at the death on his left. A beautiful, but stubborn, second willow, was his favourite perch as he sprawled over the crook in its undernourished branches.

Where he was was a little known secret that he kept. The stream that flowed up in the camp led to a widening pool, just under the leaves of the camp's willow. Facing the willow from the warriors den, a cat couldn't see this area, but saw the pool on their right as they walked straight forwards. The stream flowed through the pool into a free fall off the vertical cliff that bordered the camp. A little ways down, a stunted willow grew, arching over the dizzying drop and letting its leaves cascade down the water fall along with the stream's water. The waterfall had frozen, the creaking of ice the only sound as the water rushed beneath it. The spray of the falls had frozen shimmering droplets onto the willow's sparse leaves, creating a fine web of frozen water. The camp willow's branches trailed down this far, and through the large gap in the leaves, Bluesage could see the world.

This was going to be his death place, he knew. Here, gazing at the world spread like the sky above, was his resting place. Even if he wasn't to die here, he'd remain here, his spirit joined to that of the little whisky jacks that lived in this willow. Hawks and eagles flew in that unending space between here and the next mountain, across the valley, slopes, and lake surrounded by oak and birch and pine trees. Rolling hills covered the valley floor, and a huge, winding river wove lazily around little mountains and huge hills, coated in the ice of winter. The valley curved around, the trees sparsening and then disappearing wholly, leaving grasslands for deer to graze in and animals to live amongst the meadows of spring and summer. The mountain range eventually faded away into morning mist dreams and the smell of spring jasmine and willow that perfumed the air in the springtime. Several birds' calls echoed in some strange melody, weaving tales of the lands beyond the boundaries. His heart ached to go there, to be free, to fly as a hawk would do, dancing with the wind and love and birdsong that carressed his fur as he leaned into the sweet smelling breeze. It was beautiful here, in the peace. It was beautiful in the storm, a deadly beauty that had him shivering in its wrath as it wrecked mountains and lives with cold winds and avalanches that swept away dreams and replaced them with nightmares of ice and frost and all things dangerously beautiful. Here was his home.

Streaks of lightening sky persuaded the dark night to dance with them, whirling together like ice and leaves in the pool. Bluesage whispered his dreams into the free breeze, then turned and leapt up the sharp slope to the sanctuary of the camp willow.

Stormlake's green eyes flashed with happiness as he emerged.

"You're alive. Thank the stars. Every time you drop off that forsaken thing I think that you've plummeted to your doom. But I guess that now you can do your other strange love, the dawn patrol."

Bluesage rolled his eyes. "You love it too."

Stormlake snorted. "Yes I do. It saves me from Rushkit and Splashkit's endless neediness."

"Well, now you can suffer through my neediness."

Stormlake grimaced. "I suppose I do. But why do that when I have Gladegaze to do that for me?" At Bluesage's growing smile, she sighed. "You love him more than I do, and I'm the mother of his kits!"

Bluesage's grin just grew wider. Second to his view and... other things, Gladegaze was the best tom a cat could ask for. Kind, witty, humorous and yet ferocious in battle, a cat could say that the easygoing tom was their friend. He was everyone's friend. He was a great cat.

They emerged, bickering and bantering, from the willow, and Bluesage practically leapt out of his skin when he saw Gladegaze. Beside him stood his younger sister, Seedpaw. The white shecat bounced on her paws when she saw Bluesage and Stormlake appear from the willows. His sister, he supposed, bounced all the way across the frozen stream and stretched up to lick Bluesage's nose.

"Hi there, Seedpaw." He greeted the trio coloured shecat.

"Hi Bluesage, Stormlake! Thymeleaf said that I could go on patrol with you."

"Thymeleaf would let you do anything you wanted to, but he is a good mentor." Stormlake snorted.

Thymeleaf, Seedpaw's mentor, had been close friends with the apprentice's mother and father, who both died. Therefore, let Seedpaw do absolutely anything, but the apprentice was as good as her heart and trained as well as her brother did.

"Come on!" Bluesage looked back to see Gladegaze beckoning them out of the camp and into the territory. Seedpaw bounded over, her clean white coat shimmering in the lightening darkness. Stormlake sent him a smile, and he returned it. It was a new day. Everything that had weighed down on him was gone with the moon's vanishing. It was a new day, and Bluesage was going to enjoy it.

* * *

Featherlight woke to the sound of birdsong. Sweet, clear, birdsong. She peered outside, looking around in the pale golden morning light. The rest of the cats of ValleyClan hadn't stirred yet, and she relished in the silence that reigned the camp with a gentle crown of dew. The sun had risen just enough that it was no longer the red of dawn, but was faintly glowing and lighting the jay-blue sky with streaks of shimmering clouds. Taking a small step into the clearing, the queen marvelled at how peaceful it seemed. She started walking, stretching her legs after yet another uncomfortable night spent in the nursery. Her gradually largening belly swung heavily from side to side, and she frowned at the weight she was still unused to. Clearsong said that it would be another two moons until she kitted. Featherlight didn't believe that. It felt like she would kit at any time.

With each step she took, the crisp winter grass folded underneath her paws. It was an unusually warm day, the first after the storm that had raged two days ago. The birds were out and singing. The sky was a clear, pale blue. And most of all, she felt in her bones, that she was at peace.

The chimes of the birdsong drew her forward, through the narrow channel between two crystallised bushes. Featherflight winced as the iced leaves gently stroked her distended belly, trailing winding paths of melting ice through her sensitive fur. Slowly, she progressed through the chute, each step bringing her towards the source of the song. It was like a thin thread at the apex of her swollen stomach, drawing her forward. Something else joined the song, a sweet voice that wasn't a bird's, yet wasn't anything that the queen had ever heard. Something high and clear, but something grounded, unlike the birds that flew free and wild and untamed.

Through her slow- but steady- progress, she reached an opening in the chute that she gratefully pushed past, ignoring the painful twinges as bare branches poked and prodded at the kits that slumbered inside her skin. The narrow entrance opened up into a clearing with a canopied ceiling. Amongst the tightly closed buds of jasmine, Featherflight felt like a queen in disguise.

She was a queen of the land of frost and untouchable beauty. A queen with nothing to fear from anyone and anything. A queen who ruled her land with sharp wits and frozen shields.

And this was her kingdom. It was a kingdom of shimmering frost and protective jasmine leaves. A kingdom of stars woven into the frost like dewdrops.

A kingdom of singing birds... and something else.

It drew her onwards, her curiosity burning more than anything else. The chirps melting together to form a single symphony with more melodies than a cat could count. Through the open clearing; or was it a den? Underneath a drooping living curtain of winter flowers in a pattern that shone like stars. And into a den she faintly recognised. Herbs stacked into a corner, neatly separated and dried. Moss formed into nests in another corner. Clearsong's nest was lodged in a bough in the tree that formed most of the den. From what Featherflight could see, the medicine cat wasn't here. She padded closer to it, her former uncomfortableness forgotten as she spied something wedged behind the trunk of the tree. With a grunt, she pushed herself into the tiny space, her sides squeezing with enough force, she felt, to make her implode. For a heart-stopping second, she was stuck, her belly captured halfway through and her front paws dangling in the space in front of her. Her hind legs churned, then caught a firm surface and propelled her into the area.

Golden light hit her at the same time singing did. Glowing frost carpeted the outdoor floor and silvery leaves framed a frozen pool. The birdsong was much louder here than anywhere else. Featherflight padded forwards, circling to the left of the pool. From here, she could see behind the small hill to the right of the pool. And she could see Clearsong. The gold and cream tabby shecat was gliding across the enclosed area, birds perched on the branches of the trees around her. The ValleyClan medicine cat was picking some winter herbs from the side of the circle. Several other herbs were already clearly sorted and piled next to the hill. A small laurel tree, twin to the one in the medicine den, was perched up on the crest of the hill, watching like some guardian of this hidden place. Song wove into Featherflight's view of this place like a voice telling a story. She surveyed the scene, a small smile spreading over her face.

Her mind returned to the fact that the singing was still loud and clear, and she glanced quickly around. The birds were obvious. They always sang in the early mornings; it was some kind of rite for them. It was part of a routine that Featherflight now realised would have seemed out of place if the birdsong was missing. But the other part, the high, beautiful voice that led the birds' chirps along- it wasn't so obvious. There was no plain chief avian here, no living creature that stood out from the other jackdaws and jays that sang sweetly. Except- except for Clearsong. But it couldn't be. Unless it _was_ Clearsong. Featherflight frowned and angled her head, trying to see the medicine cat's muzzle.

Then the medicine cat turned and Featherflight saw her mouth. It was open in a note that she held out for a long while. Suddenly, the tabby turned, and Featherflight tried to scramble backwards, but not in time. The medicine cat saw her. And she winked. Turning tail on the shocked queen, she moved back to her duties, swaying to the tune. It was a symphony all in itself. Featherflight smiled; a soft, soft thing that strengthened with the sun. She sat, her belly uncomfortably heaped in front of her, and attempted to settle down. Frowning, she tried to lie down, but her stomach was lumped on one side and forced her to lie down awkwardly. Featherflight sighed. At least she could hear the song. It soothed her and she yawned. Small images came to her mind behind her eyelids. Ones of an ethereal birch forest, shimmering and shining in the moonlight. Of a swirling storm, bringing flakes of ice and frozen shards of snow sweeping in to claim the Clans' mountain. And one of the ValleyClan lake, scaled in wind drifts of snow and bare, slick ice. She stretched. Her tail swished, and she fell fast asleep to the song of the birds.

* * *

It was only later that day that she realised that she had forgotten one vital thing.


	3. Chapter 2: Song of the Falls

Hi again! Welcome back, my many silent readers, to My Name is Bluesage. Posted a day late! But it's still posted. Well, if you're reading this, then it should have been posted. Anyway, head over to the character submissions. There are only a few left!

Shaded Lily: (0.0) lililililililililil!i!i!i!i (: :)

* * *

 _ **My Name is Bluesage**_

 _ **Song of the Falls**_

* * *

"Come _on_ Meltpaw!" His mentor leant over him, and the brown tabby apprentice rolled. Meltpaw batted at his mentor's pure white fur.

"I don't want to go."

"You have to! Let's go!"

"Why do I have to go? I'm not a medicine cat yet."

A pair of striking green eyes appeared. "Because it's not storming! It's perfect for the hike to the Moonfall!"

Stretching out his legs, Meltpaw sniffed the air. It was indeed not stormy. But it was dark, the perfect, clear half moon hanging like a spider on a cobweb from the midnight blue sky. The sun always set early in leaf-bare, and this was his first, so it took some while getting used to the early nights. Seedpaw had adapted way faster than Meltpaw had, and he still wasn't quite okay with the early darkness. It made him take naps, and he found it hard to wake when it was still dark.

He yawned. Blizzardriver flicked his nose, then bounded off into the camp. The medicine cat den was nowhere near the cliff, instead being on the right of the entrance and hidden behind a clump of bushes and low-leafed trees. Meltpaw envied Avalanchestar and his unparalleled view underneath the frozen waterfall. Out of all the camps, Meltpaw reckoned that BirchClan had the prettiest and most breathtaking. But then again, he'd never been to any of the other Clans. The tabby sped up and started sprinting to catch up to his mentor, who was now just a smudge against the shadowed snow.

"Have you ever been to the other camps?"

Blizzardriver looked at him in surprise. "What in StarClan?"

"Have you ever been to the other camps?" Meltpaw repeated.

The pure white tom frowned. "Well, if you aren't counting ours, then yes, I have."

"What do you mean?" There hadn't been another camp. Had there? Blizzardriver blinked solemnly down at him, and Meltpaw met his gaze sturdily. It wasn't time to sleep anymore, it was time to ask questions and learn. Out of his two siblings, Meltpaw had always been the quiet one, but that didn't necessarily mean that he was shy. He was quiet with new cats, but among those who he knew, such as Gladegaze and Blizzardriver, he was his happy, observant, eager to learn self.

"I mean that I've been to our old Clan camp."

Meltpaw frowned. What did his mentor mean? Their grove camp had been their camp forever, hadn't it? Blizzardriver glanced sidelong at the shorter cat, and sighed.

"I forget. You've never been to the old camp, have you?"

Meltpaw shook his head.

"It wasn't as beautiful as our current camp. We had it when the Clans were still at war, and we couldn't trust anyone. It was hidden in Lower Cliffs. The Gap is where our main camp used to be, with the massive waterfall in the middle our leader's den, and the nursery. The warriors' den was a large lookout in the cliffs, and the apprentices' den tucked away in a cave below the island in the middle of the pool, in the roots and branches of the oak tree there. My den- well, my mentor's den, really- was perched above the entrance, the lookouts on either side. The river was the only way out, and it leads and splits off to our camp now. It wasn't beautiful, but I loved it. It was my home, and it was special. But it was a reminder of the Great War, and we left when the other Clans found out about it and slaughtered our Clan. It took us two moons to find our new camp."

The pure white tom's green gaze dimmed as if he was re-watching a horrendous childhood- one he had grown to love. Melt paw felt his eyes grow damp, and stared resolutely at the ground. He hadn't realised how new their camp was; or the fact that the Great War had only been a few season cycles ago.

"I was named for my sister's find. Heronflame found our camp. We who lived in the old camp call this the Heron Camp. She died saving our older sister's kits from diving off the edge. Bluesage and Stormlake owe their lives to Heronflame."

His mentor's head was bowed, lost in some memory. Meltpaw swallowed.

"D-did you know my mother?" The tabby apprentice said quietly. Blizzardriver's head jerked up. His piercing green eyes sharpened at the question. For a moment, he stared at Meltpaw without speaking.

"Yes." He said. "Yes. I did. She was my best friend aside from Heronflame."

The pure white tom didn't speak after that.

* * *

The snow was deep in the sheltered valley, and Meltpaw couldn't see the other medicine cats' tracks. The valley was the same on as the Gathering valley, but the main Gathering area was further to the left in another crevasse in the rock. Right at the end of the valley, he could see a huge mass of tumbling ice interspersed with tough pines.

The Pine Falls.

Majestic and powerful, the iced curtain was layered in thousands and thousands of splinters of ice, distorting and warping images until a cat couldn't see the truth. It was what made the Falls part of the Clans' sacred places. But they were nothing compared to the Moonfall, apparently. At least a half moon's journey away, and at most a moon's, the Moonfall was at the end of the mountain valley. To avoid the creatures at the bottom of the valley, great hearted creatures with paws of steel and long, flowing tails and manes, the cats had to travel across the ridges to the Frozen Falls, where they had to enter behind the hulking mass of ice. It was a dark descent into the heart of the flowing area, and there was an underground waterfall, plummeting down, down, down. He couldn't describe it, only repeat what Blizzardriver said it was like.

The Pine Falls drew closer with each step through the dragging snow. They loomed, immense, in the distance; it was as if they were watching Meltpaw as he slowly crept towards them. In a while which seemed like forever, he reached the Falls. With Blizzardriver next to him, he swallowed and padded in.

Every step echoed. It was the first thing Meltpaw heard. Frozen spires sprayed from the vaulted ceiling; the light a strange blue with the ice. The floor was slippy and each step was a promise of doom. Shadowy things lurked in the water, deep under the frozen surface. It was only until he reached the stone platform that Meltpaw took a breath.

A furry red and black body tackled him, and sent him sprawling him onto the ice.

"Sweetberry!" Meltpaw gasped. The excitable medicine cat pushed herself off of him, a huge smile blooming across her face.

"Hiya!" She bounced. Then the medicine cat started slipping around him, skating in a huge circle. Melt paw staggered to his feet, then with a heavy thud, he slammed back into the ice. Trying again, he prepared himself for a similar fate, but before he contacted the cold again, the youngest full medicine cat slid underneath him and pushed him up, helping him to the rock. He managed a weak smile.

"Thanks?"

Sweetberry grinned at him again, waving her tail. "Come on! The others are leaving!" She playfully thwacked his muzzle, and he sprung from his platform to her side, and together they raced deeper into the Falls.

It only got darker from there on. Until a splash of silver caught Meltpaw's eye. A crystallised flower glinted next to him, petals silvery with frost. More and more dotted the opening space's sides, and some plants were perched on the roof, all shining silver in the light of the massive reflecting pool. A single shaft of light had managed to spin its way to the surface, and there, the other medicine cats lay, already lost in their dreams. With a guilty glance, Sweetberry hurried to her position, waving her tail in a silenced goodbye. Meltpaw nodded and carefully made his way to Blizzardriver's side, where he sat, pushed his nose to the ice, and closed his eyes.

* * *

The brown apprentice opened his eyes to a lush landscape. He recognised it faintly, but couldn't place it.

"Hello, Meltpaw." A soft yet deadly voice crooned next to his ear. The tom span, but he couldn't see any star-filled figures nearby at all. "Aren't you slow." The voice sniffed haughtily. A crackling, gentle laugh followed. A velvety paw touched his shoulder, and this time the owner let him see her.

Sitting in front of him was a dangerously beautiful shecat. Pure white, with what looked like living flames curling around her shoulders, and blackish blue flames biting at her legs and neck, she looked like a fire. Piercing, startlingly green eyes met his, and he jerked with astonishment. They were the same as Blizzardriver's! Then it hit him. This was Heronflame. Black markings like a heron's, and an orange, flame coloured muzzle paired with the twin pair of eyes to the pair his mentor owned.

"Hi? Heronflame?"

The shecat grinned at him. "Glad to see my brother told you about me." With a flick of her tail, she bounded off. Meltpaw rushed after her. This _was_ StarClan, but he didn't exactly know where anything was. He guessed, with a familiar mountain range rising on the horizon, that this was the valley that the Frozen Falls were located, but he didn't recognise the direction they were going in.

In what seemed like an instant, he collided with his mentor's sister. Heronflame growled. "Try not to crash into me. I would think that you would like this, but maybe I won't-"

Meltpaw cut her off with a gasp. Opposite him, another shecat flowed out of the ferns and flowers. She had shimmering green eyes, just like Seedpaw, and her coat was the exact fur pattern as his sister's, but patched and rounded with silver, brown and ginger fur.

"Heronflame, I hope that you weren't threatening my son."

 _My son._ She had said _my son._ Eyes damp, Meltpaw ran like the wind around the pool and leapt onto the shecat with a grin like the stars.

"M-mother?"

Sagefeather laughed. "Yes Meltpaw. Yes." She nuzzled his chest as he towered over her, then with a heave, toppled him off her so that she could stand up again. He came up to her shoulders. With a tail over his back, she led him back to Heronflame, who, with a massive grin on her face, backed away into the leaves and vanished with a parting sentence of-

"You aren't the only medicine cat here, Meltpaw. Got to see my brother!"

His mother chuckled. Sagefeather guided his gaze to the massive reflection pool, much like the one under the Pine Falls but free flowing.

"Look inside, Meltpaw. What do you see?" The calico shecat dabbed the surface with a paw, and ripple she spread outwards, merging and shifting the image into one of a different place. The Frozen Falls. He looked back up and met the green eyes so much like his own. His heart ached for his mother to stay with him. She'd died after naming him and Seedpaw, and he had no memory of her. Growing up, he hadn't had any parents, after his father, Springdew, died. The deaths of both his parents had led him to become a medicine cat apprentice, to have the ability to heal those who needed it. There was a sharp sense of urgency in Sagefeather's green eyes.

"You _must_ go here, Meltpaw. You _have to. Please, Meltpaw._ " Her voice was swirling, a cacophony of words and voices that spoke in unison; pleading him to listen to them; asking, begging him. Urgency lingered in those voices. Meltpaw began to back away, ears pinned, as Sagefeather advanced, eyes glowing eerily. She froze. The voices shattered, leaving her as an empty husk, empty of life, fading, shrinking, breaking apart in the fine air of the Clan of the dead. Sagefeather was dissipitating into nothing but starlight and morning sunlight and night mist, vanishing, leaving him behind. Meltpaw lunged for her, anything to stay with her, to keep her with him-

She was gone. Meltpaw started to drop, the lands of StarClan merging together, greens and blues and reds and blackness, until the apprentice was encased in a cocoon of dark mist, and something lingered in front of him. He swam through the airy fog, and shrieked at the thing that lay there. A green eye, brighter than his pair, or any that he had seen, blinked at him. And then he was falling.


	4. Chapter 3: Song of a Quest

**Hi everyone! Welcome back to My Name is Bluesage! This update is really late, and I'm sorry for that, but it was really hard to write this one. It's also a massive amount of 2,468 words long! The next chapter will probably be a lot shorter, and then Bluesage SPOILERS leaves! Yippee!**

* * *

 ** _My Name is Bluesage_**

 ** _Song of a Quest_**

* * *

"We need to go to the Frozen Falls." Blizzardriver stared out over the cats gathered under the willow tree. His piercing green gaze was unwavering, and he stood strong. Bluesage frowned.

"Why?" He shouted out. Meltpaw, his nephew, stood up next to his mentor. He noticed that the apprentice was shaking. Bluesage knew that if he swapped places with the brown tom, he'd be shaking as well.

"When I spoke with StarClan, they told me that I needed to go to the Frozen Falls. They never said why. But when I was leaving, I saw one green eye looking at me. I don't know what that meant, but it must be important. We have to go to the Frozen Falls."

Bluesage smiled at Meltpaw, sitting back down. That made sense. Avalanchestar spoke from his perch in the tree, his breath clouding green in front of him.

"Blizzardriver and Meltpaw are going to go to the Frozen Falls. It's a half moon away from here, and we can't spare warriors now that it's leaf-bare. One warrior shall go. Any cat who volunteers must not have an apprentice. Volunteers must see me in my den."

Bluesage's heart beat faster. A-a _quest_? To go to the Frozen Falls? It was through that valley he longed to explore. He _had_ to go. Avalanchestar flicked his tail, dismissing the meeting, and leapt off the crook where he sat, slipping through the veil of willow leaves and down into his den.

Frozen to the spot, Bluesage's only moving part was his tail as it flicked from side to side like a fidgety kit. His breath came in shuddering gasps. The tom's heart was racing. A chance to go beyond the Clan boundaries was one he couldn't pass up. He wanted to go to his cliff seat, and gaze out over the areas that he would be trekking through. But his head told him to visit the leader's den. He _had_ to go, if not to explore, to accompany Meltpaw and make sure that his brother in sense was safe.

After a few deep breaths, Bluesage followed after the cats who'd vanished through the outskirts of the willows, wanting to go to the view that lay just opposite him. But his head tugged him towards the leader's den. He padded silently down the packed dirt path, through the veil, and out into the main camp. The weak sun filtered through the gathering clouds, and the snow lying like a coat on the ground was shimmering with the hidden joy of leaf-bare.

Bluesage took a deep breath of the crisp, clear air to calm himself down. He let some of his excitement show, actually shaking with it. The blueish tom bounced across the camp. He paused just outside the leader's den, letting himself know that Avalanchestar might not let him go. His heart raced faster. With each intake of breath he grew giddier.

"I guess you're going to volunteer?"

Bluesage spun around, his breath coming even shallower. Behind him sat a white and tan shecat. Her grey eyes sparked at his reaction.

"Appleberry!"

The tabby shecat chuckled. "You are going, aren't you?"

Bluesage ducked his head. "Yes."

"That's my apprentice." At the tom's surprised look, she frowned playfully. "You told me, remember? And I said that I'd train you to be able to adventure past the Clan boundaries."

"You also said that-"

"I had the same dream, yes. But I've already gone, and now it's your turn." Appleberry flicked her patched tail against his shoulder affectionately. At a flicker in his gaze, she frowned once more.

"What's wrong?"

Bluesage sighed. "I just-" He swallowed. "Let's say, theoretically, I have a mate. And, she hasn't been, well, talking to me lately. What would happen if I left her to go to the Frozen Falls?"

Appleberry's eyes lit up.

"And who is 'she'?"

"Not saying."

Appleberry chuckled. "Between you and me, I think it's Morningmist." She glanced at the silver and orange striped shecat who was basking in the weak sun rays and chatting to the queens. "Anyway, I think she would know that this is your dream, and she would love you no matter what. She wouldn't mind if you left her, because love is a two way relationship, and she has to let you fulfil your dreams."

At her words, Bluesage's heart grew incredibly lighter. Bright blue eyes blinked at him and brown and silver ears perked in his mind's eye. He meowed a hasty goodbye to Appleberry and practically shot down the sloping tunnel towards Avalanchestar's den.

* * *

It was even colder down here, and Bluesage shivered, his short coat not suited for this kind of weather. The cave was hollowed out by a millennia of waterfalls and eroding rock and dirt until it formed this cavern. One whole wall was covered in a thick sheet of ice, fragmenting and ripping and distorting gleaming images with daggers of water pausing midflow. The cave's roof was formed of winding roots of the willow and the roots of grass and plants that grew above the shelter. From the darkness behind Bluesage, slow footsteps could be heard, and at the sound, the tom twirled and saw electric blue eyes blinking at him from the shadowed recesses of the cavern.

His heart ached at the familiar colour, whispering of nights spent entwined in her honeysuckle scent and her patched silver and brown fur. Lying amongst roses prematurely frosted and still as beautiful- if not more, as the moment they'd bloomed, ice shimmering on their petals and crystallised frost stemming through the almost invisible veins on the bloom's layered petals. But the sight couldn't compare to her laugh, so bright and silvery that it seemed to him that he was soaring high above the clouds, on a gentle wind that smelled of her, that even the permafrost that clung determinedly to the rock and ice faces the overlooked the valleys from their high up perches melted.

Avalanchestar stepped into the light. As always, his smile was as bright as his eyes.

"Hi Bluesage! I'm guessing you're here for the Frozen Falls trip?"

Bluesage nodded. Avalanchestar was more young than the other leaders. Freezestar being the oldest, and though Shadestar was younger, she'd been a deputy for so long that she had a lot more experience than Avalanchestar. Then again, that meant that his leader was more laid back and open to new ways of doing things, and Bluesage hoped that he would never lose that.

"Well, I guess since you're the first to volunteer, you'll be able to go." A small smile spread over the tri coloured leader's face. "I was honestly hoping that only one cat would come, and that one _did_ come. I was terrified that no one would come, actually."

Bluesage grinned. "Thanks, Avalanchestar."

The leader nodded to him, eyes kind. Bluesage trotted up the slope back towards the ground of camp, almost leaping with excitement. When he looked back, he saw Avalanchestar sitting in front of the ice wall, gazing out at the valley below. As Bluesage padded out, he saw a slash of blue grey as another cat leapt into the tunnel.

* * *

"Attack!"

Flakekit, Snowkit and Needlekit launched themselves in unison at Bluesage. The tom laughed and fell into a deep trough of snow.

"Hey!" He shouted. Bluesage arose, his fur clumped in white spatters of snow. The kits fell about him, playing and jumping in the deep snow. Needlekit padded up to him, her brown and ginger tabby coat ruffled against the cold.

"C-can you g-ive m-m-me a bad-badger r-r-ride?" Peering closer, Bluesage noticed that she was shivering.

"Sure, Needlekit. But afterwards, you're going straight back to Burnwing."

"Aww." Flakekit sighed. Out of Burnwing and Russetleaf's three kits, Flakekit was the only inherited one colour from her parents. She also inherited her mother's stubbornness. Snowkit was Russetleaf's mirror image, but with slightly brighter eyes. Snowkit could be angry when provoked, but most of the time he was calm like his father. He was the only male kit in the litter, but he put up with it well, especially considering that the only other tom was Splashkit, Stormlake's kit, and all the other kit wanted to do was play with his sister. Bluesage hoped that he got to mentor Snowkit. Mentoring any other kit would be a tough job, and he felt that out of the three kits that he _could_ mentor, Snowkit was the one that clicked with him the most.

Needlekit was the sole kit in the nursery with any brown. She was funny and gentle but knew when to be stubborn. She also knew exactly what was good and bad and tended to stray into the medicine cat den to mess up the herbs. Flakekit often helped her with that task.

"Me too!" Snowkit piped up.

Bluesage grinned. "Fine, how about all three of you?"

Flakekit gasped. "Really?" With a quick glance around the camp, she added in another sentence. "Burnwing never lets us go together."

Bluesage chuckled. "Then don't tell her."

The three kits perked up and leapt onto his lowered back. The blue tom grunted when he lifted himself up. He could do two at a time, but all three? That was a tough task. They were three moons old and felt like they were five. Bluesage staggered forwards, than sank into a rolling motion which meant that he conserved his energy. In no time at all, the kits were off and he was saying goodbye to them.

"Go to sleep and listen to Burnwing, okay?"

The three kits nodded. "Yes, Bluesage!"

He took a quick glance around the den. Stormlake wasn't in here. _Oh well._ He would see her tomorrow morning.

After the kits had padded further into the nursery, daring and taunting each other, he padded towards the waterfall. He didn't see the view today, so he might as well go now. At sunset, it was a beautiful sight. Bluesage pushed through the veil of willow leaves and trotted to the other side in a few bounds. He carefully dropped down and landed neatly on a pile of moss. The blueish tom kept close to the cliff wall, and slid slowly towards the frozen waterfall. The tree was slick with fresh snow, so he took the next best thing and flopped onto a dry moss patch in a small alcove in the wall. The ice next to him was white and clear and blue, a few cracks showing where water had pounded against it during the early leaf-bare. He settled down, content to watch the sun sink over the horizon. For once, he wasn't begging with his heart and soul to go there. He was going in two days!

As much as he tried to calm down, something was biting on his nerves. A sound, two voices echoed around him. Bluesage perked his ears. Who were these voices? What were they yowling about? The sound cleared, as if the two cats had moved closer to him. They must be cats. He didn't hear other voices from critters or animals often, or at all. Bluesage stayed as still as possible, listening for anything that would give him insight onto who these two cats were.

"He can't go!"

"I told you already, he was the only one to volunteer! He _has_ to go!"

"Send me instead. Anything but letting him go."

Bluesage frowned. They were talking about him. One of the cats must be Avalanchestar-

"No. Stormlake, you know as well as I do that this is his _dream._ "

So that was who the other cat was. Bluesage's heart froze over. Was Stormlake trying to stop him from going? The tom almost snarled. She couldn't stop him from going. No cat could. He would get up, but his paws were rooted to the floor. He had no choice but to listen.

"I can't let him go. Pick anyone else but him, _please._ "

"No." Avalanchestar's voice was deep, and Bluesage could tell that he was serious.

"Then set a deadline. If they don't get to the Frozen Falls in a moon, they have to turn back. He can only be gone for two moons." Stormlake sounded desperate now. "I can't lose him."

Bluesage had had enough. He ripped his paws free of their stance, half standing, half sitting, and stalked back around the cliff wall. He jumped up easily, his tail lashing behind him. The sun had set; he had missed the whole thing. Now the sky was dark and the pinpricks of stars swirled across the midnight blue canvas. When he parted the curtains with a single step, some cat crashed into him. He growled, low in his throat.

Familiar green eyes met his own. Silver and blueish striped coat. This was Stormlake. Bluesage didn't even try to be subtle.

"Why were you trying to stop me from going." It sounded dead to him.

Stormlake's eyes reflected the stars in green pools of light.

"Bluesage, I-"

"No. Stormlake, tell me."

She tried furiously to meet his gaze. For the first time, he realised that he was taller than her by a paw length. He used this height to avoid her eyes. His sister sighed. "It's dangerous out there, Bluesage."

"You think I don't know that?"

"I do, but-"

"You know this is my _dream_! I thought you knew this."

Stormlake narrowed her eyes. "Bluesage, listen to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because you keep interrupting me." When he opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off with a sharp glare. "No, listen." Bluesage fell into a sullen silence, a scowl painted on his face. "I can't lose you. I don't know what I'd do without my brother." Stormlake met his gaze. "Promise me that you'll stay safe." It wasn't a question.

Bluesage met her gaze. Twin pairs of green eyes met each other. "I promise, Stormlake. I promise."

* * *

 **Well, thanks for reading! I hope that all of you have good luck on your exams- if you're having any.** **Anyways, summer is soon! See you in the next update- hopefully in a week or so?**

 **Anyway, a question:**

 **Which character do you like the most? Which character do you hate?**

 **I have a few... that I love. And one that I hate. I** **really. Really. Really. Hate.**

 **So, it's raining! Yay! Hopefully wherever you are it's your favourite weather too!**


	5. Chapter 4: Song of a Farewell

**_My Name is Bluesage_**

 ** _Song of a Farewell_**

* * *

The next day, after Avalanchestar's announcement- most cats were pleased that Bluesage was going- he had to say goodbye to his family as he was going to go to ValleyClan to get herbs from Clearsong, then heading off from there. It was early in the morning, the faint blooms of colour from dawn just spreading over the horizon.

Stormlake stood in front of him, her green eyes swimming with tears. At her shoulder was Gladegaze, who was letting his mate to lean on him as she said goodbye. Bluesage shivered. In the cold of the dawn, it was freezing, especially considering the it was leaf-bare.

Rushkit and Splashkit, Bluesage's niece and nephew, were still asleep as Stormlake didn't want them to get sick. He'd already said goodbye to them though. Seedpaw hopped about in front of him, her green eyes bright with the prospect of him going beyond the boundaries. Seedpaw shared his excitement for the unknown, and he hoped that it never went away.

"Bye, Bluesage!" Seedpaw chirped. Bluesage couldn't help but smile. Her ginger and white fur was flat, not puffed out in an attempt to keep warm. She had a heart and spine of steel. Behind him, Meltpaw waited impatiently. Just like his sister, he had a slight taste for exploration. Blizzardriver was waiting at the entrance, as he had no family to say goodbye to, as the Great War had taken them.

"Bluesage." Stormlake's voice was rigidly determined. "Remember your promise. Please come back."

Bluesage smiled at his only sibling. "I promise, Stormlake."

Gladegaze dipped his head to the bluish tom, but Bluesage leapt forward and whispered into the tom's ear. "Take care of her for me."

The brown tom smiled. "I will, forever and always." Then, in a louder voice. "Bye! Enjoy it."

Bluesage smiled back at the tom who had become a larger part of his life. He was going to miss Gladegaze.

Blizzardriver interrupted them. "We have to go."

Bluesage smiled again at his family. "I'll miss you all."

With the rising sun, he left the camp.

* * *

Later, Blizzardriver took Meltpaw and the blue tom to ValleyClan as only they had the herbs needed for long distance journeys. At this, Bluesage's heart jumped into his throat. He could see her again! Appeberry's words echoed in his head.

 _"-she would love you no matter what."_

Now, standing in front of the ValleyClan camp, he hoped that was true.

"Come on!" Meltpaw tugged at Bluesage's chest fur, and he leant down to lap the 'paw's ear. The brown tom was like a younger brother to him.

"Bluesage! You're even _worse_ than Meltpaw! I didn't think that was possible." Blizzardriver, standing in front of the camp entrance- laced with honeysuckle. Bluesage blinked.

Meltpaw quirked a brow and twirled around dramatically. "Well, now you do."

"I have no words for this."

"I know. I'm quite fabulous."

Blizzardriver opened his mouth, probably to tell his apprentice off, or laugh. Bluesage wasn't sure. Meltpaw cut his mentor off yet again. "Oh, don't." At the pure white tom's confused look, he continued while he pranced towards the ValleyClan entrance. "Fabulosity doesn't need compliments. But I'm sure that you had a truly amazing one."

Meltpaw was now standing in front of his mentor. In his brightest of dreams did Bluesage see this coming. Meltpaw smirked up at the medicine cat, then spoke again. "Now look who I'm waiting for." With the last word, the apprentice flicked his tail up and whipped his mentor's nose. Before Blizzardriver could react, he vanished into the camp. Distantly, muffled by the leaves came a last sentence:

"Don't speak a word of this to Seedpaw or Gladegaze, otherwise you'll wake up in StarClan."

Bluesage burst into laughter, but Meltpaw wasn't finished. "Bluesage. I did that for you." That shut him up. Blizzardriver looked at the warrior, letting himself have a little snicker. Bluesage snorted, then caught up easily to the medicine cat.

"Who's he waiting for?" He mimicked Meltpaw's tail flick and left the medicine cat speechless.

* * *

The ValleyClan camp wasn't as beautiful as the PineClan one. It was still shockingly pretty. It was clustered on a clearing near the view above their lake- Lake Jaysong for the jay nests surrounding it. Trees and flowers of all kind grew in here. It was like a massive hub for the beautiful mountain plants. In leaf-bare though, the flowers here were wrinkled and closed. Unlike the plants up above, they closed during leaf-fall, while the ones near AlpineClan froze right over. The camp had a kind of golden light. Honeysuckle was everywhere, all of the white blooms closed tightly from the strange snowstorms that cats got down here.

Bluesage waited patiently as the other medicine cats talked. Blizzardriver, with his strikingly white coat, blended in with the snow down here. Meltpaw was sitting on the side, ears pricked. Behind the apprentice, his brown tail flicked excitedly as he listened to all the information that the older cats were throwing about. Blizzard river broke off from his rapid conversation with(insert name here) his green eyes sharp.

"This is Bluesage. He's the warrior escorting us."

Bluesage dipped his head politely, then sent a smile towards ValleyClan's medicine cat and a wink to Meltpaw. Blizzardriver sighed.

"Go on, Bluesage. Chat with the other warriors."

The bluish tom sprang up. Don't get him wrong, he knew how important medicine cats were to the Clans. StarClan knows how many times a medicine cat had healed him! But their talk was boring. He trotted immediately towards the gap in the forest where he could see the lake and brushed a paw against the air in front of him.

This was her Clan. She lived here. In ValleyClan. Bluesage only hoped that she did not see him here. He didn't want to cause her more heartbreak. He didn't want to hurt her. Especially if he didn't come back.

Now that Stormlake had brought up the idea of him never coming back, he couldn't get the idea out of his head. Paired with the image of Stormlake when he said goodbye- green eyes watery, desperation in her heart as she watched him turn away, Gladegaze comforting his mate the only way he could- it was enough incentive for him to turn back. But no. This was his dream. He was going to live it!

Just like that, his adrenaline came back. He was going beyond the boundaries, to a place that he'd never gone to before! He was going to see what the world was like beyond the Clans and territories and training. And he couldn't even believe it.

It still swam in front of his eyes; a future when Avalanchestar nodded and said yes to Bluesage's dream, that he could go forever and still come back. This was the next best thing. He knew that Avalanchestar would never let him go. So he had to take any chance he got to get the slightest taste of journeying into his heart.

He looked at Lake Jaysong and smiled. He was going to leave the Clans! A familiar smell floated around him.

"Bluesage?"

It was her.

* * *

 _Is it her?_ Bluesage's mind was spinning. He twirled, quick on his feet. He had to get away from her, before anyone noticed and got suspicious. Then he saw the shecat in front of him. It wasn't her. _Oh_. Strangely, his heart plummeted. _Leave her alone. Don't hurt her more than you already have._

The shecat in front of him looked like her. Same brown and white coat, but this cat's was patched instead of striped. This cat's eyes were lake blue like her's were, but were a stormy grey.

"Bluesage?"

 _Oh. She's talking to me._

"Err, yes?" He frowned. "Who are you?"

The shecat smiled. "Good! I'm Driftshadow. I'm Featherflight's sister."

At Bluesage's continued frown, she added on. "I know."

He stifled his gasp. She knew? "H-how?"

"She told me. She's my sister, after all. C'mon." Driftshadow did everything but dragged him across the camp. "She wants to talk to you."

The patched shecat led him into a clump of honeysuckle bushes. He burst through the leaves and into a golden clearing. Driftshadow, a small smile on her face, melted back into the bushes and vanished through them again. Bluesage's green gaze snapped back to the shecat sitting in front of him, looking back at him.

Her blue eyes shimmered, and her fur gleamed.

"Featherflight?" He couldn't believe his eyes.

"I'm here Bluesage. I'm sorry." Featherflight lowered her brilliant gaze. In a few steps, Bluesage had crossed the space between them and nuzzled her neck.

"I'm sorry too." Using his tail, Bluesage lifted her head up. She smiled a weak smile.

"I have something to tell you."

Bluesage frowned. What in StarClan did she have to tell him?

"Is it about why you missed our meeting?"

Featherflight's eyes gleamed with tears. "Some."

Bluesage smiled. "As long as you tell me the truth."

Slowly, Featherflight span. The movement was accompanied with a groan.

"What?" Bluesage's voice came out shocked. He immediately shut his mouth to keep his heart from jumping out of his throat. For between his mate's legs, slightly twisted from her grounded spin, bulged a belly the size of his head and more.

"I'm expecting kits, Bluesage. Your kits."

Bluesage's mouth dropped open, despite his attempts to keep it closed. "What?" He said again. Featherflight's tears spilled, tracing webs of shimmering water down her cheek.

"I'm sorry."

"No."

"It's my fault."

Bluesage pressed his forehead against hers, forcing her to look deep into his eyes. "This isn't your fault. It will never be your fault. Don't be sorry for something that I love." He curled his tail against her belly.

Now it was Featherflight's turn to look surprised. "What?"

"I love them," he said with a soft smile. "Just as I will forever love you."

Featherflight smiled. "I love you too."

She pressed closer against him, until he could feel every pound of her heartbeat and every shift in her stomach. He leant down, and with heartbreaking gentleness, pressed his cheek into her belly.

"I love all of you." He murmured.

* * *

"Bluesage!"

A shriek came from behind him. Featherflight looked up from where she was looking down at his head as he whispered promises to her and their kits. The bluish tom leapt up.

"Yes?" He yelled back.

"We're going! Where are you?"

Bluesage glanced at his mate. He leant forward and gave her a hasty lick on the cheek. "Don't forget, I love you. All of you."

Before Featherflight could say that back, he raced off through the bushes.

Bluesage burst out of the bushes. Distantly, he could hear Featherflight panting as she pushed herself to standing form. He whipped his head to the right, then to the left, finally spotting Driftshadow.

"How long until she kits?"

Drfitshadow's grey eyes were wide. "Roughly two moons."

Bluesage nodded and raced towards the camp entrance. Blizzardriver's white tail vanished through the channel right as Bluesage started to run. They were setting off on their journey now. He could not be left behind.

As he sprinted, his thoughts wandered back to Featherflight. He was going to miss her, more than any cat else. Then he caught a flash of whit fur in the corner of his vision. Was it Featherflight? Bluesage turned his head to look, the cold air making his eyes water. In his blurry vision, he spotted a brown and white shadow slipping through the edge of the bushes. He sent it a smile, and slowed down slightly, letting the shecat reach the entrance before him. He saw her push through the bushes and crossed the boundary of the camp. He ripped through the pass and skidded to a halt.

"Goodbye." He whispered, with a small smile. Blue eyes met green, and then Bluesage ran off after Meltpaw and Blizzardriver, leaving Featherflight behind and chasing his dream.

* * *

 **Two science tests and one French speaking test left! Only 3 weeks until the end of school! I think that I will die of excitement before it comes. By the way, this chapter was really rushed, as I wanted to post it before tomorrow, so yeah.**

 **By the way, which character do you hate the most, or love the most?**

 **I may have asked this already but I'm really curious. See you next** **week!**


	6. Chapter 5: Song of a Memory

**Heya! Welcome back to My Name is Bluesage! The alleignances should be up in maybe a week or two, cos only one Clan has spaces left! Anyway-**

 **An explanation for Heronflame's quick change of attitude in the third chapter I think? It was mentioned by Mynameispigeon. Here it is: One of Heronflame's closest friends was Meltpaw's mother. To her, his features were almost identical to Sagefeather's. Additionally, when she snapped at him, it was mostly because she wasn't used to having a living form touch her. It also revealed her harsher side, one that hadn't appeared earlier because she'd been so happy to see her friend's son. She's kind of a flip switch cat. :D**

 **Mynameispigeon: I'm so happy that his act did that! My family and I were on a walk and my dad said something that I can't quite remember, and my brother replied to him just like Meltpaw did. I luv Shadestar too... she's great. Actually, let's put a star here *. You writing that review actually inspired me to write another part in this chapter, so yeah! Thanks! And I was reading back in my writing to find that point about Heronflame and you were right! Shoot, you could be my beta reader! If you made an account of course. But anyway, thank you!**

 **Starry starry star* I'm gonna write another book, a kind of prologue to this series, based off the character's parents and stuff, and Shadestar has my favourite history. So check that out and Dripping Ice, the sequel to the Frost Will Settle by cityskyliinee, when it comes out. cityskyliinee's account has actually changed, so here's her new one:**

 **scrapingskies**

 **SIDE NOTE: I think I've described Bluesage as having green eyes, but he has grey eyes.**

* * *

 _ **My Name Is Bluesage**_

 _ **Song of a Glacier Crossing**_

* * *

They started crossing the deep valley by passing next to Lake Jaysong. To their left stretched the enormous lake, while to their right was a shadowy forest of pine trees and bright snow. Blizzardriver was keeping them near the shore, just close enough that there was no chance that they would fall through the ice- there wasn't a chance anyway- and so that it was the least tiring.

Bluesage sighed again. They'd been walking for what seemed like hours through the vast, gently sloping terrain. It was similar to BirchClan's territory but there were lots of things that were completely different, such as the temperature and the trees.

Up near BirchClan, the trees were silver barked and speckled with shadows. Down here, trees of all types and colours flourished. Flowered trees, their bulbs tightly closed against the northernly wind that brushed across Lake Jaysong. Ferns splayed the ground in bright green, frosted over and crystallised like the leaves up at camp. Around the lake, reeds poked through the thick blue ice and cold gravel littered the shores. Throughout the day, nothing changed drastically in the landscape, forcing Bluesage to find something else to do during the hike.

* * *

By the time the sun had neared the horizon, setting early as it does in leaf-bare, they had reached the pass. It was a higher bit of ground that was swathed in pine until they reached the actual pass. It was a small valley looking down on Lake Bluesage, and by going through this valley, they would have access to the ridge, which was the safest place to head towards the Frozen Falls.

Bluesage yawned. The day of walking had drained him more than he thought. He shivered again. Here, where the chilly wind from the north channeled through the pass, was coated in ice and snow. It was freezing. No trees grew where they were currently, leaving the space out to the elements.

Next to him, Meltpaw slipped, falling scarily close to the cliff edge that was a result of a past leaf-bare storm. Quick as a deer, Bluesage flicked his paw out, catching the apprentice before he could hit the ground. Meltpaw flashed a smile up at the warrior, before pushing himself up and continuing on.

Bluesage sighed. The slippery ground was another thing caused by the wind.

Up ahead, Blizzardriver lifted his tail as a signal to stop. Bluesage hurried up to the white cat's side and looked around.

"Are we staying here tonight?"

Blizzardriver nodded, grey eyes still fastened on the place where the pass dipped away, shrouded by trees. "It's better to sleep here. The weather isn't as bad as higher up." The pure white tom nodded at the pass. His voice sounded faraway. Bluesage frowned and left, whisking his tail over the older tom's shoulders.

Further behind the clearing, a magnificent view of Lake Jaysong spread out before him. He could see the mountain reaching up into the sky, the twin peaks stretching up into the fog, the smaller one falling away and leaving the older peak to carry on alone.

Lake Jaysong gleamed sapphire blue in the sun, gold dappling across the lake in kind of calligraphy.

Meltpaw came up beside Bluesage, and the warrior glanced at the 'paw briefly before returning his attention to the map of the world he knew laid out before him. He stood at the edge of the territories, balanced between his dream and his family. A twinge of guilt struck at his heart. Was he selfish to leave his family behind just so that he could fulfil his dreams?

"Bluesage! We need you to take first watch. Wake me up when it's my turn." Blizzardriver spoke sharply to the other two toms. Bluesage smiled. The pure white tom had definitely gotten over what had hit him before.

* * *

The sun had set, and the moon was high in the sky when Bluesage heard it. He was on watch, not because he had to, but because he couldn't sleep. Looking out over the Clans territory, Bluesage dreamed of what he would see the next day.

Maybe a series of mountains, climbing higher and higher with each step. Frosted surprises,;flowering nooks; blue-misted ice. Anything could lie in the near future.

Then he saw something in the corner of his vision. Springing to his feet, Bluesage whirled to meet the flicker. Framed in silver, each line highlighted by the shimmering moon that lay behind the figure.

It opened its mouth and _howled._ The sound echoed out over the valley, and others joined in, a roaring, rippling wave that distorted with time and distance as more wolves joined in.

The gray wolf leapt down from the peak and vanished into the shadows. It reappeared suddenly in front of him, nose to nose. It sniffed, then let out a low huff, whitening the air around them before disappearing once more. Bluesage caught sight of its amber eyes, sparking like fire in the moon, before evaporating as shadows, like breath, blew them out.

* * *

The next morning, they set off again. The pass path wound up and into a barren rocky area. Bluesage leapt from rock to rock, wincing each time a small pebble pierced his tough paw pads. The journey had already worn him down, and there was still so much to go.

After a while, the pass dipped back down to a winding, soft dirt path that headed through the middle of a pine forest. The sun traveled faster than before across the sky. Before he knew it, it was past midday and they still hadn't reached the other side of the pass.

"We camp here for the night. The glacier is just ahead, and it's too dangerous to stay there at night."

Bluesage bowed his head to the older cat. He'd done the journey before, and it was best if he gave the orders. "Okay." He then glanced at Meltpaw, who said nothing. Bluesage suddenly realised that throughout the whole trip, the apprentice had said almost nothing.

"Hey." He nudged the younger tom. "Are you all right? You haven't said anything for a while."

Meltpaw looked up at him, and Bluesage recoiled at the deep sadness in his green eyes. "Nothing's wrong."

"Yes there is. I _know_ you, Meltpaw. Don't even try to lie to me."

The apprentice heaved a heavy breath. "Fine." He looked up at the warrior. "What if I don't make it back home? What will Seedpaw think? We lost our mother, then she loses me. And what if I never see her again? If I somehow get lost when I die? Or if I don't go to StarClan, but end up in a place far, far away from Seedpaw and Gladegaze? And if-"

"Hey." Bluesage stuffed a paw into Meltpaw's mouth. "You won't. You'll see your family again, I promise." He removed his paw from the mouth.

Meltpaw looked up into the warrior's shimmering grey eyes. "Promise on your life?"

"No matter what it takes, I will make sure that you will get back home."

"You haven't promised on your life."

Bluesage sighed, smiling. "I promise on my life." Yet even as he knew that they would make it back home alive, the weight of the promise pushed him further down into the sheltered clearing's dirt.

* * *

 **This part of the story was inspired by Mynameispigeon! Shout out to them.**

* * *

That night, worn out by his shift, Bluesage fell asleep easily in his frozen bed. Guilt plagued him like greencough.

Was it worth it to leave everything he had ever known?

 _Bluesage woke up to a world he faintly recognised._

 _It was a pure white morning, when Bluekit and Stormkit were half a moon old._

 _Their parents had taken them outside for the first time- well, for Stormkit, it wasn't the first time, but now wasn't the time to think about that._

 _For Bluekit, at least, it was his first time out in the white, snowy world._

 _The sun was shining, as he could tell by the way the snowflakes glimmered as they fell, but it wasn't in sight._

 _He squinted. His vision was just the slightest bit blurry, enough that it irritated him._

 _As he looked around, he caught a pair of dazzlingly green eyes flashing through the snow. They appeared to be floating, and Bluekit looked closer to find that the cat's fur was an unblemished white, sinking into the snow swirling around them. He remembered that before, he could see the ferns that hadn't been covered in snow, and the frozen saplings that littered the clearing. But in this dream, they weren't visible._

 _Bluekit frowned, listening for the breeze that must blow the flakes into this vortex. He couldn't hear it. Neither the crunching of his pawsteps, or the voices of his sister and parents. Was he deaf?_ **No** _. He could hear his heavy breathing as he struggled to keep himself from spiralling into panic._

 _Snow whipped his face, causing him to hiss in pain. White blanketed his face, blocking out his eyesight. Wind rushed past him. His fur blew the wrong way. Cold air whooshing past him brought tears to his eyes. He was falling. Piercing pain sliced dead through the centre of his body, protruding out of the top of his spine. Blood spewed either way, immediately freezing in a grotesque fountain._

 _The pain peeled away with a healing white feeling that coursed through Bluekit's blood. He_ _shuddered, and the world vanished once again into snow. This time, he reappeared at the top of the cliff. It was darkly funny, he supposed, that his favourite spot was where he had seen his parents die. He looked over the edge and saw the bodies of his parents, mauled, smeared with red and slowly being dyed by their own blood._

 _The ground went slick underneath him. Frost coated the moss that lined the tree's slanted side, and the little kit couldn't keep his balance. He fell. Paws faced the sky. Tail locked around his_ _hind paws. Ears squished as the wind cackled and pushed them to his scalp. Searing agony launched through his tail tip as claws latched on to it._

* * *

 _Her body jerked as her fall was broken. Stormkit looked up, heart banging wildly against its cage of bone. A flame-coloured muzzle fading into her own blue and silver tabby coat; live flames solidifying into black and orange stripes across her neck and shoulders and legs. Narrowed green eyes stared into her own. It was Heronflame. The shecat held Stormlake by the scruff, and from her right paw hung Stormkit's small younger brother, Bluekit. He was trembling, eyes squeezed as tight as they would go. Stormkit made a face at him._ Stupid kit. He'd only fallen, that's all. _She looked back at Blizzardriver's sister._

 _Heronflame easily lifted them onto the platform. Bluekit immediately curled up between the warrior's paws. Stormkit shot him a second glare, before looking across the view between the tree's frozen droplets._

 _"What happened?" She'd been looking out at the view with her parents before she'd rushed to look where Gladekit was. When she'd come back her parents were gone and she slipped on a piece of moss, and dropped into the void._

Wait.

Her parents had vanished.

 _She looked back at Bluekit._ He wasn't that easily scared. So... _Stormkit looked around for her parents._ Where are they? _A sickening feeling settled in her belly. Heronflame looked at her with immense sadness in her green eyes._

No...

 _She forced a quavering smile onto her face. "Heronflame?"_

 _"I'm so sorry, Stormkit." Heronflame leant down over Bluekit, meeting her gaze. Tears stained the perfect green of the warrior's green. "They were attacked by an eagle and slipped."_

 _Stormkit looked around at the view. No eagles were in sight. "What?" The smile fell off her face. She still refused to look down, knowing what awaited her. If she didn't see it, then her parents could still be alive. Heronflame's medium sized paw pushed her head down. Stormkit immediately tried to close her eyes, but something kept them wide open._

 _"No..." She gulped. She couldn't look away. "_ _Bluemist? Lakeleap?" Her tears finally came, freezing the moment they fell. They made a strange melody, hitting the spouts of blood still spraying from her parents' bodies. She didn't know how long she stayed there, unable to tear her eyes from the terrifying sight. Until, after depleting her tears, the rage came._

 _"Stormkit?" Heronflame spoke. Stormkit whirled on her._

 _"What?"_

 _"I wanted to say that you and Bluekit aren't alone."_

 _"Yes, we are." Stormkit's eyes narrowed in fury. Her nose wrinkled into a scowl. A snarl erupted from deep inside her. "You don't know what it's like to lose your mother and your father."_

 _She turned around, tapping Heronflame lightly on the foot._

 _"I do know what it's like." It was so quiet that she barely heard it._

 _"Don't try to lie to me."_

 _"Bluemist was my sister."_

 _Stormkit's eyes widened. She whirled around._

 _"What?!" She was so loud that Heronflame jumped._

 _The flame coloured shecat's back left paw landed on a piece of moss, slipped, and brought the warrior down. Her right leg cracked on the trunk with a sickening snap. The leg bent the wrong way, and Heronflame's whole body fell to the side and lost contact with the branch._

 _"No! Heronflame!"_

 _Stormkit saw the warrior's face. Agony was carved into it, and she felt a pang of guilt. Heronflame's red muzzle opened in a silent scream. Her green eyes, a set of three, opened wide as she plummeted down, down, down, to join her sister in StarClan._

* * *

Stormlake gasped awake, shaking. It'd been moon since she'd had that nightmare. Moons since her parents had died, and she had accidentally brought Heronflame to her doom. Moons since she'd realised that the only cat she truly had left was Bluesage. She looked at Gladegaze, peacefully slumbering by her side. That wasn't true anymore, was it? She had Rushkit, Splashkit and Gladegaze now. Seedpaw, Meltpaw, and Blizzardriver. Thawwhisker.

 _They aren't your birth family, are they?_ A sly voice whispered into her ear. No. It was right. They weren't. Except for her kits and Blizzardriver.

 _But Blizzardriver never acted as family, did he? And they're Gladegaze's kits too, not yours. Not truly yours._ She still had Bluesage, didn't she?

 _Oh, but where is he now?_ She could sense the voice's smile as she finally gave in. _He abandoned you. And not to mention his little secret, hmm?_ Stormlake's eyes, a diluted version of Blizzardriver and Bluemist's, snapped wide open. What? _Oh, that's right. He hasn't told you._

"He's my brother. We have no secrets." Stormlake twitched slightly when Gladegaze moaned, and realised she'd spoken aloud. She huffed her breath out, watching it smoke in the chilly air.

 _Ah. But he does. And if he doesn't tell a secret that you'd never reveal to anyone else, does that make him your brother?_ No.

 _So, you see. He isn't your brother. You have no family left. They all left you._ No! They didn't! They love me.

 _Really?_ That little voice purred. _Bluemist and Lakeleap fell to their deaths rather than see you grow up._ Not true!

 _Heronflame tripped trying to escape your fury._ She hadn't been scared... Had she?

 _Bluesage, your only remaining relative, the one closest to you, left to chase a wild dream and hide a secret._ This time, Stormlake didn't challenge it.

 _You have no brother. You have no family. Bluesage is not truly your brother. Not truly your blood. Not truly yours._

 _Not truly yours._

 _Not truly yours._

Not truly yours.

"Not truly yours." She breathed.

* * *

 **Welp. Five days, starting tomorrow, until I leave. I'm going to try to get another chapter out before then, but it might not happen. This chapter is the longest, starring with 3,009 words.** **Somehow, my original plan for this chapter turned into a dream. Well. It's still good. And before you start saying that Stormlake is kinda possessive, 'not truly yours' means that she no longer sees them as family, or friends. She no longer sees Bluesage as a cat sharing her blood, and therefore making them siblings. Anyway, don't forget to leave a review, or hop on over to the character submission to claim one of the three remaining spots!**


	7. Chapter 6: Song of a Glacier Crossing

**Hi again! I'm not even going to apologise this time. School started again, and I was so busy, and I could tell you all my excuses, but it wouldn't change the fact that I've worked on this for five weeks. Well. It has the number five in! But it wasn't the five days I talked about. The previous chapter should be called Song of a Memory. Anyway:**

* * *

 _ **Song of a Glacier Crossing**_

 _ **Chapter 6**_

* * *

The glacier rose before them, intimidating and silvery in its sheen. Bluesage gulped. It was much bigger than it had sounded when Blizzardriver had told them about it earlier that day. It was terrifyingly snowy, due to the late night fall, powder reaching up to his shoulders. At the very least, it wouldn't be as hard as clambering up over the windswept, hard-packed snow that was created by the leaf-bare storms that had passed by half a moon ago.

That was right, it had been half a moon since he'd volunteered to go on the quest.

Beside him, Meltpaw shook. Bluesage smiled gently. The apprentice's green eyes were wide as he stared up at the towering sheet of snow. Due to the clear blue skies, the nonstop walking had brought the warrior's body temperature up, and he blinked away a droplet of sweat and thought longingly of jumping into that fresh powder. Instead, he nudged the brown tabby and spoke.

"Follow my tracks. It won't be too hard."

Unable to respond, Meltpaw shivered out a nod. Bluesage smiled and shook out his coat again. Excitement gleamed in his grey eyes and he dashed forwards to where the glacier met the rocky path they were traveling on.

It had been a quarter moon since they'd started traveling. His pawpads were rock hard from the trails they'd gone on, and he could sense that Blizzardriver chafed at their slow pace due to the snowfalls. Bluesage breathed in the cleansing air. It was strange to be away from all the cats he'd normally see, and just view the valleys and ranges that stretched endlessly out before him. It ignited a flame in his chest, and his throat closed up in a familiar mix of excitement and fear. It wasn't that he was scared of the danger, as he lived with that back in his Clan, due to the terrain, but out here, there was the fear of being left alone and being by himself for too long that just hissed sharply when he lost sight of the medicine cats.

They were at alpine, and the trees had thinned out to tips of green that had poked out of the snow several fox-leaps lower. Up here, there was no green to be seen except for the lower parts of the mountain. The trees and flora just didn't grow at this altitude. It made the white, snowy surface unbroken, and almost unreal.

Bluesage tensed his hindquarters and leapt over a large boulder shouldering the path. His forepaws dove down until he was chest high in the snow. Meltpaw glanced at him, the paw's green eyes flashing with snowlight, and snorted. Bluesage sighed. It was cold enough to effectively refresh him and clean his fur of the sweat that had clung to him for the past few hours as they trekked through the warm forest. He smiled and thought of that morning.

Bluesage had slept in, so of course, Blizzardriver woke him up, a scowl ready on his face. The white tom had walked away, while Meltpaw shook with laughter from the safety of the worn dirt path. Annoyed and sleepy from the startling awakening, Bluesage lashed out at the tree trunk behind him. Due to the heavy snowing that night, the boughs and leaves were weighed down with snow, and at that slight tremor, almost all of it fell onto him.

Thinking of that now, Bluesage sighed with longing. The sky was overcast, and therefore the heat stayed, slowly roasting him as they trekked up through the thick snow. It clung to him, forcing the warrior to shake his coat every few steps. Eventually, Blizzardriver led Bluesage and Meltpaw to the highest ridge, which had blocked the famous view of the glacier from a certain point upwards.

As they crested the barely covered rock, Bluesage's breath flowed out of him in one gasp. This was his second time seeing it, but it was even more imposing close up. He swallowed tightly. The glowing blueness hinted at slick ice beneath the surface, and at the top, a cornice awaited. Bluesage turned around, and lost his breath yet again.

The dirt path which they had traveled on looked like a small brown stream from up here. His grey eyes traveled over that evergreen forest, blanketed with the white and silence of the snow. After the forest cut off, he saw the place they'd spent the first night. And below that, the pure blue of Lake Jaysong, lit by a single break in the clouds. Further back, a pillar against the stormy background, his home. The twin peaks; everything. It was beautiful. He breathed it in, the fresh mountain air, and let his gaze rest on it, framed by the mountain ranges. His breath caught, and he let out a whoop.

He'd done it. He'd explored beyond the territories. Tears came to his eyes, and he smiled. His heart beat frantically and he let a tear fall. He whispered a goodbye to his home, letting the wind carry it away to his family. He turned away and started down the glacier's caldera, following the medicine cat's tracks. With each step he took, his guilt fell away, leaving his heart lighter than it had ever been before.

He was starting on his adventure.

* * *

Stormlake gasped, her chest heaving, after another nightmare. "What?" she breathed. Gladegaze, sleeping behind her, grunted, and blinked his eyes open.

"Stormlake? You okay?" He said sleepily. She turned to him, careful not to wake Rushkit and Splashkit, who were slumbering at her paws.

"It was nothing. Don't worry." That had been her fifth nightmare. But this time, it was different. That voice was gone, and in its wake lay a kernel of loneliness. She gazed at the dark walls of the nursery. This time, Bluesage had been brutally sliced open by a mysterious tom. The only thing she'd seen was a flash of bright green eyes before she'd woken up. _Who was it?_ She knew that it meant something important, but she couldn't just work it out.

She shook her head and stood up, careful not to wake Gladegaze or the kits. Stepping over them, Stormlake eyed the exit. Faint blue light was glowing through it. She quietly brushed through the thorns and walked out to a pre-dawn sky. The stars glimmered dimly in the newly clear sky. The late snowfall had blasted them all away. She padded through the camp, relishing the silence and privacy it gave her. Stormlake slipped through the curtain of willow, and walked through to the other side, where she carefully dropped down onto the path that led to Bluesage's favourite spot. Staring out over the space, she noted the things she could see, slowly calming down as she did so. She breathed in the sweet mountain air, and looked up at the stars.

Stormlake smiled, imaging that each star she could see was a member of her family, alive or dead, that loved her. As the sun rose, the stars blinked out. Stormlake shuddered, her breath tightening in her chest. She saw the brightest star, the one remaining, and spoke to it.

"You wouldn't leave me, Bluesage. You promised, remember?" Hopr shimmered in her voice. Stormlake didn't breath as she watched it, looking for a sign that confirmed her wish. And then, the sun rose up over the horizon.

The star winked out.


	8. Chapter 7: Song of the Whispering Trees

**Hi everybody. Yes, I know it's been a while since I last updated but I have a new goal. My New Year's Resolution is to attempt to update every week, with a few weeks off for exams or holidays.**

 **It took a while to finish this chapter in particular. It's a chapter that I tried to make different from the ones before because this is the one where we really get into the journey. Anyway, go ahead and read. Leave a review if you liked, don't if you didn't. I'm open to pointers, so don't worry is you see a few mistakes.**

* * *

 ** _The _Whi_ spering Trees_**

* * *

Blizzardriver sighed. He looked over his shoulder at Bluesage, staring at everything, and Meltpaw, who was entranced by the endless snow on the ground. Sometimes, he regretted even letting Bluesage come along, or letting Meltpaw come, because they just _didn't get it_. It was a mission. He had done it once before, and it had had disastrous consequences. Especially this part.

He looked over once again at his apprentice, who was still staring at the ground. Bluesage on the other hand, was acting like a kit once more, bouncing around and staring at everything, even the star-forsaken _snow_. The blue-grey tom threw a light dusting of snow at Meltpaw, who took it without even flinching. Blizzardriver's heart sank just a tiny bit. This was why he questioned why he'd let Meltpaw come along. He thought of his apprentice's sister, Seedpaw, who was back at camp. She was, on many ways, tougher than the soft-hearted apprentice, but he knew that Meltpaw was missing his other half. If, in some way, he could have brought Seedpaw with them, he would've.

But then again, as always, there was the risk. Risk that Seedpaw might get injured, lost, or die, and that Meltpaw would never forgive him. It was better, he told himself, if they took as little cats as possible.

The pure white tom looked back at the almost untraceable path. The rocks were just slightly more smooth due to generations of paws taking the same route wearing them down, and as a result, the snow was almost completely flat here. They had clambered up the steep glacier face that morning, just before the sun had truly warmed the ice up and it had become dangerously slippery.

Blizzardriver had led them to the side, aware that Meltpaw was too weak to continue upwards any further- and, to be honest, he could feel the effects of the altitude just taking his edge away. Bluesage, on the other hand, was perfectly fine. Blizzardriver continued watching for the beginning of that forest that lingered at the edge of his memories. He checked on the fog that had been on either side of them, blocking out their view of the outside world. He just stopped himself from gasping when he saw that it had crept even closer, reaching its smoky tendrils out to grab at the wind. He gulped and returned his gaze to the front, and tripped when he saw what loomed, gloomy and dark.

"Blizzardriver?" Meltpaw looked at him questioningly. "Are you okay?"

The pure white cat smiled down at him. "I'm fine. Just glad that you are finally talking again." _If only to ask me a question._ But it was better than nothing.

Meltpaw seemed to shrink into his shell, and turned away. His shoulders slumped. Blizzardriver stumbled to his paws and braced himself for the dead forest.

* * *

Bluesage frowned at the medicine cat, who had his gaze fixed upon the tree that split the path in half. He was eyeing it as if it was going to reach out and kill him.

"Blizzardriver? It's just a tree..."

Meltpaw glared at him. _What did I do?_ Blizzardriver seemed to shiver, but then shifted his piercing green gaze over to Bluesage.

"Yes. You're right. It is just a tree." Then, he muttered something under his breath. Bluesage frowned, but shook his head and turned away. The fog that now cushioned him glowed silver in the dim light, beckoning to him. Bluesage smiled. Somehow, everything that he'd heard about the places outside the territories seemed untrue. It was magical out here, all gleaming and begging to be explored. It was stranger than the territories, more glowing with the aura that spoke to him.

The mountains seemed to stretch forever, the trees shimmered a glittering green that couldn't have been purer, and the essence of the land was just- well, there were no words in this language to explain it. Even the mist seemed to be wove from spidersilk, ultra strong and yet infinitely delicate. Bluesage took a deep breath, and believed that he could even smell the sky, a sharp lavender that melted into the crisp snow scent.

It was so different, he supposed. Everything was different. Even the snow was different. It was all new, a new world for Bluesage to start over in and one that he could do good for. He truly believed that this was a second chance.

A second chance world- a place where everything was new, special; where anything could be done. Another home.

Bluesage smiled at that, tucking it away into his heart where it would never be forgotten. He turned back to Blizzardriver.

The pure white tom was now shaking. His pure green eyes were wide, and Bluesage could see shattered shards of reflections glinting back at him. The medicine cat stopped moving altogether, staying crouched in a hollow in the snow. Bluesage frowned. What could possibly have terrified the cat that much? Meltpaw was staring at his mentor like he had turned into a demon, fur spiking with fear.

"W-what's going on?" Meltpaw panted. His chest was heaving in and out, reminding Bluesage of a cornered rabbit. Not good, not at all. Cornered rabbits attacked.

He looked around at the scenery around them, forcing himself to stay on task. He turned back to Blizzardriver, who was staring at a point in the abyss. Bluesage followed his gaze and- he started quivering with barely suppressed laughter- it was a tree.

"A _tree_ Blizzardriver? A _tree_? Really?" Bluesage couldn't stop the laugh from spurting out. Meltpaw shifted his gaze over to the grey eyed warrior.

"Bluesage! Stop laughing! If he's scared, then it must be something bad." Meltpaw snapped. Bluesage blinked. That was the most words he'd heard Meltpaw speak in days.

Blizzardriver didn't appear to have heard, as he shook uncontrollably, his pupils contracted to a pinprick.

Meltpaw stepped closer to his mentor, Bluesage hovering on his toes, glancing back and forth from the tree to the medicine cat. Concern gleamed in Meltpaw's green eyes, a shade dimmer than the pure green his mentor possessed.

"Blizzardriver?" Meltpaw neared the pure white tom. Bluesage leant forwards slightly, watching the medicine cat carefully. He'd never seen Blizzardriver like this, and he was half inclined to push the apprentice away from his mentor.

"What's there? What can you see?"

Bluesage's hackles rose at the feeling of an invisible gaze. He whipped around, staring- but only caught sight of a brown flicker. He shook it off. It was just a trick of his imagination.

"Greysplash..." The whisper sounded from Blizzardriver. Bluesage frowned. He looked at the tom. He was standing upright, and looking around at his surroundings. Blizzardriver's fur had flattened down to its normal velocity, and his pupils had enlarged. He looked natural once more- albeit slightly messed up.

"Who's that?" He asked. Meltpaw shot a glare at him.

"Blizzardriver? Can you continue walking?"

The pure white tom shook his head violently. "No! We can't go through here."

"Why not?"

"It's _dangerous,_ Bluesage. A cat died in there."

"It's the only way through!"

"How do _you_ , of all cats, know that? You've never been here before." Blizzardriver's glowing eyes dimmed slightly.

"A cat died here... Was it that Greysplash?"

Blizzardriver's silence told Bluesage enough. "But then how did you survive?"

"A tom saved me. Chester- or something like that. If we are separated, and he finds you, trust him. He saved me, and I know that he'll save you."

Bluesage nodded, then glanced at Meltpaw, who stared at that almost invisible tree with determination.

"Try not to get separated." Blizzardriver gazed at them. "But in the Whispering Trees, anything could and would happen."

Bluesage turned back to that lone tree, and flinched. Instead of that mystical fantasy world he'd depicted, it was horrific. Lichen dangled off the branches, which were decaying and grey. The leaves had merged together to form a kind of drooping canopy of sickly green. Hissing sounded next to him, and he jumped. Meltpaw's eyes were equally wide as they met. His breath quickened. This _was_ a dangerous place. Blizzardriver was right.

Mist swirled in, carIried by a whispering wind.

 _Come,_ it beckoned, _Come with me, Bluesage._ Bluesage shook his head violently.

"No."

 _Dont't you remember me, Bluesage?_ That voice..

"Featherflight?" He breathed. "No. It can't be."

 _Oh, but it is. Come to me, my love..._ Bluesage stepped forward, then took another one, then the next one. One after the other, he followed his mate's voice as she drew him through the now gleaming trees. He stroked his tail against a lithe branch, marvelling at its emerald texture. What he'd saw before must have been a trick of the mind. This forest was startlingly beautiful, everything he'd expected when he'd started the journey.

He gazed out into the sky, seeing the ranges rolling away into the horizon.

 _Wasn't it just misty?_ An ancient voice hissed in his ear. _It was_. His thoughts pulled themselves together. He backed up a foot.

 _No..._ Featherflight breathed in his other ear. _Aren't I your mate? Don't you trust me?_ The grief in that voice struck him, and he followed it again.

 _Bluesage!_ The old voice snarled at him. He froze. _You're high up. Would the trees really be like this?_

"Wait..." Bluesage murmured. Everything rushed back. The dying tree, the hissing wind, _everything_. "No." He turned around, then stopped.

Featherflight glowed in front of him, her blue eyes flashing with uncharacteristic anger. "Bluesage? You don't trust me after all, do you?"

He scrambled back. "No- I was just listening to the-the-"

 _No!_ That voice hissed again. He stepped back again, and once more, then almost fell. His leg had stepped into thin air. He clutched at the packed snow under his paws, not daring to look back. The voice had gone silent.

"Bluesage! Tell me!"

He slipped further, his breath flashing. Featherflight places a silvery paw on his, then pushed. His right paw slipped off, scrabbling for grip on the cold rocky surface. Gravity swung him, weakening his remaining grip. He trembled, now only held by one paw. She placed her other one on his. He suddenly realised how she wavered in the light, how he couldn't feel her warmth, how those eyes didn't gleam. His eyes widened. If he could just banish whatever this was, he'd be safe. His eyes shut, and he began murmuring that she wasn't real.

Over and over, he thought of safety, of hanging on. He told himself that Featherflight was at ValleyClan, safe and warm and not trying to push him off a cliff. He felt a wind-light paw press down on his, and pain shocked through him.

"What are you?" He shocked himself with hearing his own voice cut through the air. "You aren't Featherflight. She would never do this. Not to me, not to _anybody_."

"Bluesage?" The apparition's voice broke. "I'm your mate, aren't I?" It had split and doubled, spinning around the air. When he opened his eyes, he saw a dark wind whipping around him. A pair of golden eyes hovered in front of him, and rotten, cracked teeth span and leapt out from wherever the wind was calmest. The eyes blinked, and the voice started up again.

" _Bluesage..."_ It called. _"Bluueesaage..."_

The darkness formed a paw, and pushed down on his, harder and harder. The decayed teeth formed arches- fake smiles, leering at him from the depths of whatever abyss he'd fallen into. In the pitch space, he thought he could see trees. Bent trees, ridden with grey-green moss and littered with bones and scraps of fur. No moon shone, but the waters were a black that reflected invisible stars. Slimy fish swum in its depths, and their milky grey eyes showed him their blindness. Their mouths stretched into a grin, and together, everything spoke.

 _"Let go, Bluesage. Let go..."_

Something hot ran down his face. He flinched away from it, swinging precariously. _Meltpaw, Stormlake, Seedpaw, Featherflight._ All these cats whose lives he'd leave a hole in, all these cats who knew him for him. He held on the the cliff with every shred of his being.

 _Promise me that you'll stay safe._

 _I don't know what I'd do without my brother._

 _I can't lose you._


	9. Chapter 8: Song of Sound

**Hey again. Well, this took a while. Sorry that this took so long! All I can say is that there isn't really a reason for the lack of posts. But now that it is summer, I have time to try and write. I'm trying to write a chapter every two days, and so I should finish My Name is Bluesage within a week. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"No…" Bluesage moaned. His vision spotted, a cramp swarming up his leg. He could see it; black smoke curling around his limb. It reached his paw, and it began to spasm, bringing him closer to that cliff he could sense in the corner of his mind. The screams and wails, the trail of broken hearts and cleaved promises that littered his path, the memories that haunted him still. Everything was so loud. The sound hammered his head. Thoughts chased one another silently, cloaked by the apparitions surrounding him. His head swayed, and his eyelids began to flutter as he struggled against inevitable sleep.

"Sorry…" Bluesage's voice trailed away. To his ears, it sounded faint amongst the hissing wind. Wait- he heard his voice. He opened his eyes a sliver, and bright white light seeped in, momentarily blinding him. The wind howled. A figure, framed by silver, reached the top of the cliff. The shadows on the side screamed. A cacophony of banshee wails ripped through the wind, and the light attacked. It seemed to be a language, quiet in its own right, but attached to wails and screams and calls that released wave after wave of pain on Bluesage. Faintly, he heard a lilting voice whisper in his ear.

 _It's not yet your time to pass on. Stay awake, or I will not be able to help._

But as each surge weakened him, Bluesage couldn't stop himself from becoming drowsy.

His eyes shut. He could feel himself slipping, claws retracting back into their sheaths, and he slid closer to that starry second life with every second that the battle continued. Black invaded, and the next thing Bluesage knew was air pushing past him.

—-/0\\\\-—

Meltpaw quivered. Shadowy figures leaped in and out of the impenetrable mist, black clouds approaching then materialising into trees, or rocks, or even a sheer rock face dropping down into oblivion. As he walked with Blizzardriver through the eerie forest, his mentor's moans became wails, and set Meltpaw on edge.

If his mentor, who normally was so calm and secure, was falling apart even before entering this cursed place, then what horrors lingered here?

Since losing Bluesage in the whispers of the trees, Meltpaw began to feel phantom touches. He would notice some cat's tail, furry and ticklish, tapping him on the shoulder, and would whip around to discover that nothing was there, just empty air and tentacles of fog weaving.

He began to hear voices, too. Seedpaw's voice, so broken and defeated that it made him wish that she'd never come with them- until he realised that she hadn't. Gladegaze's rumbling timbre, pleading with him to follow him to a safe place, where he would be safe. But he kept close to Blizzardriver, keeping his shoulder brushing with his, and his paws matching his mentor's.

Above all, Meltpaw couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Shadows with glinting eyes that vanished before he could even realise that they were there.

It all made him paranoid. He couldn't help looking over his shoulder, and shaking with fear. It wasn't that he was a weak cat, it was just that compared to the warriors of BirchClan, and his mentor, he had never seen death, or fought, or actually, ever seen blood. The thought of the feeling of death terrified him, and even more the fact that if he died here, no one would find his body. He'd never get to say goodbye to his family, or get to know the other medicine cats. He would never see his brother's kits, Rushkit and Splashkit, grow up. He'd miss out on so many things that it hurt him to ever think that death was nearby.

To put it in more precise words: his one deepest, truest fear was of death. The idea that his life would just _end_ , and he could do nothing- absolutely _nothing_ to stop it.

So when a wave of shadows raced towards them, he was petrified. He saw death in that darkness, and he wouldn't- couldn't, accept it. He held out for a miracle, unable to move or breath. Blizzardriver was still beside him, and it wasn't because he was scared too. It was the memory of what this place was capable of that scared Blizzardriver. The pure white tom was scared of ending the same way his own mentor had died.

It had been all he was able to pry out of the older cat once Bluesage had vanished.

"My mentor- his body lies here. I never found it, even with the help I was given. I haven't seen him in StarClan."

And that had been it. The Whispering Trees, as they were called, didn't allow any cats to end up in StarClan. Instead, Meltpaw guessed, they trapped the spirits here for eternity.

The shadows engulfed them, and everything went black. Screeches ricocheted in Meltpaw's ears. Even Blizzardriver' bright pelt was invisible in this dark. Wind buffeted his fur, and the stink of the rotting trees was changed beyond Meltpaw's sight, and the shadows began to scream with fear.

A flash of brilliant light filled the air around Meltpaw and his mentor, and the shadows fled. The normal light returned, the fog creeping towards Meltpaw once more. In front of him was a tom with brown fur and golden eyes. By his feet lay a blueish lump of fur with bleeding paws.

The stranger cocked his head to one side, and with a glint in his eyes, looked straight at Blizzardriver and spoke.

"Why, if it isn't an adult version of Blizzardpaw."

/:(^~^!):\¡%€

Something soft was covering Bluesage. He could hear the wind whistling, and nearby, the sound of quiet voices. One was pitched higher than the others, telling him that the cat was younger than the rest of them. He shifted, leg aching, and moaned when his paw hit the ground.

He blinked his eyes open, and in his hazy vision, his paw was outlined with white light, and large scabs covered the back of it. His claws were chipped, and one had been snapped. He heaved himself into a sitting position, and ran an eye over himself. His hind legs were covered in rock grazes, each artfully cleaned and covered in a herb that he recognised. He bent them experimentally, and winced when they twinged slightly.

He stood. Turning, he listened intently for those voices again. He caught sight of a pure white tail tip whisking around a corner. Though his vision was blurry, and his paws stumbled because of aches, Bluesage managed to fumble his way to the corner, then around it.

Crouched together, silhouetted with the whirling blizzard at the cave mouth, was Meltpaw and Blizzardriver. Neither of them had sustained injuries, from a first glance, but when he looked again, he noticed the third tom speaking rapidly to them.

The stranger had thick brown fur and bright, glowing golden eyes. His tail was a slightly darker shade of brown, and a few silvery hairs permeated his pelt. It was clear that this tom was by far older than Blizzardriver. The way they talked made Bluesage wonder if they had known each other before they had to set off on their journey. Meltpaw looked a little left out, staring into the roaring wind outside.

Bluesage padded over and sat next to him, sitting upright even though his muscles screamed at him. Blizzardriver glanced at him.

"Bluesage! You're up!"

Bluesage shot a look at the stranger and ignored what Blizzardriver had said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Chestnut," drawled the tom. "And your only way out of this cursed place."

"When I returned through here with my mentor, Chestnut helped me." Blizzardriver added.

"But that was many moons ago. Blizzard- it's Blizzardwhisker, isn't it?"

"Blizzardriver."

"Oh yes. When Blizzardriver was a- a Meltpaw. That is your name, right?" Chestnut asked.

Meltpaw jerked to attention. "It is."

"I never understand you cats. It's easier just to use simple names, like Holly or Snow. None of this fancy paw and star stuff out here."

Bluesage frowned at Chestnut. "Sure…"

"Anyway," cut in Blizzardriver, "Chestnut will lead us safely through the Whispering Trees and will wait for us to return after we complete our quest."

Bluesage's heart leaped. He would yet again see more lands that lay beyond the Clans! He glanced at the cave mouth. He knew now, more than anything else, the kind of danger that made him remember the cliff. He'd clung on, but any time after that was blank.

"How did I end up here?"

"I found you. All those shadows attaching you- you would think that there was something that they wanted from you!" Chestnut chuckled.

Bluesage remained silent. Featherflight, Stormlake. He knew what the shadows wanted from him. They wanted him to break his promises, to die there and to take with him one part from each cat. Something for the shadows to play with.

Featherflight.

"How much time has passed since we left BirchClan?"

Blizzardriver frowned at him, cut from the conversation he was having with Chestnut about where he would wait for them. "Oh- about a moon and a half. You were out for a day, so we're slightly behind on our time. It'll only take a few days for us to reach the Frozen Falls. Avalanchestar will wait before sending a search party for us."

Bluesage measured the time against how long it would be until Featherflight had their kits. Roughly half a moon, wasn't it? "How long will it take for us to get back?"

Blizzardriver paused, his nimble mind calculating. "Just under a moon and a half. We'll have Chestnut to speed our journey through here."

His kits would be a moon old. He hoped that he could see them just once, before they grew up to become strong ValleyClan warriors. It was one thing to have a ValleyClan mate, and another for their kits to be torn between two Clans. It had happened before, but what it had resulted in had caused both kits pain.

He knew that their kits couldn't stay with him. Stormlake would never understand. It was part of the reason why he'd never told her about Featherflight. Number one was that he was her only close family member left apart from Gladegaze and her kits. He was her brother- a bond for life. Their mother, and father had both died, leaving them behind with a legacy to fulfill. And fulfill it Stormlake did. She was one of the only deputies ever to raise her kits and be a deputy at the same time.

His sister was amazing, but telling her that he had fallen for a ValleyClan warrior? That would tear her apart. He couldn't do that to her. He had too many vows to keep, let alone hope that she wouldn't hate him until they died. He'd tell her one day, though, just not now. When they were old, and wise enough to forgive.

"When are we leaving here?" A thin voice piped up. Bluesage looked in shock at the apprentice next to him. He had almost forgotten about the kind, gentle tom.

He must be so scared… Meltpaw had no one to help him when I vanished and Blizzardriver started raving. He was by himself.

Bluesage winced, before making one more vow. One more. Just one.

I'll never exclude you again, I promise.

Another promise, another thing that could break as easily as a piece of dirt under an elk's hoof. Something else to weigh him down. It was a small price to pay for living out his dream.

For a second, he wished he was a wolf. Free to leap unbidden, an animal in the wilderness. Something that held natural regality and the wonder that had surrounded that wolf from almost a moon ago, in that clearing.

* * *

 _Springing to his feet, Bluesage whirled to meet the flicker. Framed in silver, each line highlighted by the shimmering moon that lay behind the figure._

 _It opened its mouth and howled. The sound echoed out over the valley, and others joined in, a roaring, rippling wave that distorted with time and distance as more wolves joined in._

 _The gray wolf leapt down from the peak and vanished into the shadows. It reappeared suddenly in front of him, nose to nose. It sniffed, then let out a low huff, whitening the air around them before disappearing once more. Bluesage caught sight of its amber eyes, sparking like fire in the moon, before evaporating as shadows, like breath, blew them out._

* * *

It was something for Meltpaw. A simple thing that he could do to bring back that happy, cheerful apprentice he had known before embarking on this journey. He was only nine and a half moons old! Bluesage remembered when they had entered the ValleyClan, before their final goodbye.

* * *

 _"Come on!" Meltpaw tugged at Bluesage's chest fur, and he leant down to lap the 'paw's ear. The brown tom was like a younger brother to him._

 _"Bluesage! You're even worse than Meltpaw! I didn't think that was possible." Blizzardriver, standing in front of the camp entrance- laced with honeysuckle. Bluesage blinked._

 _Meltpaw quirked a brow and twirled around dramatically. "Well, now you do."_

 _"I have no words for this."_

 _"I know. I'm quite fabulous."_

 _Blizzardriver opened his mouth, probably to tell his apprentice off, or laugh. Bluesage wasn't sure. Meltpaw cut his mentor off yet again. "Oh, don't." At the pure white tom's confused look, he continued while he pranced towards the ValleyClan entrance. "Fabulosity doesn't need compliments. But I'm sure that you had a truly amazing one."_

 _Meltpaw was now standing in front of his mentor. In his brightest of dreams did Bluesage see this coming. Meltpaw smirked up at the medicine cat, then spoke again. "Now look who I'm waiting for." With the last word, the apprentice flicked his tail up and whipped his mentor's nose. Before Blizzardriver could react, he vanished into the camp. Distantly, muffled by the leaves came a last sentence:_

 _"Don't speak a word of this to Seedpaw or Gladegaze, otherwise you'll wake up in StarClan."_

* * *

Blizzardriver's mew cut through the happy memory. "We leave soon. After we finish binding Bluesage's wounds."

Bluesage smiled at this, his spirits lifting.

 _We're so close to finishing this._

* * *

 **So close to the end! This is quite a short story (looking at Brew's around 44 chapters of absolutely nothing happening) but the next part in this story is the one that I'm quite excited- and a bit sad- to write. And that's because something does happen, two things actually, both of which I wish that I could never write, because poor Stormlake- she's just being targeted here. (I'm sorry... but I'm not. it must happen) By the time this chapter is released, the next one should be done. I'm going to work on a better system, where for each chapter to be published, the one after must be finished. It'll force me to write instead of sitting and wishing that I could write.**


	10. Chapter 9: Song of a Descent

**Hey! I know that this chapter is shorter than usual, but honestly, the second half is more of a filler chapter than anything else. Enjoy! (The first POV is Stormlake.) Also, you might have noticed that I describe Bluesage and Stormlake as blue-grey cats with green eyes. One: they are blue-grey and silver tabbies, and two: Bluesage has grey eyes, while Stormlake has green.**

 **Spongekit36: Thanks for your review! Even so, thanks for pointing out the mistake. I'll go back through it and update the chapter. And hey, thanks for pointing out the contents error- I wouldn't have spotted it otherwise. Honestly, I kinda picture Chestnut as me- I'll butcher names until somebody points out that I've been saying it wrong. If you've ever been there, I based the territory off of Whistler in BC, Canada. Lake Jay is based off of Lake Delta...ish.**

 **GUESS WHO ACTUALLY UPDATED A WEEK LATER ~0o0~**

* * *

 _ **My Name is Bluesage**_

 _ **Song of a Descent**_

* * *

 _He left you. He left you to go chase his dreams of_ wind. _The voice whispered in her ear, telling her of all the things that Bluesage had kept hidden from her. So many things..._

 _He thinks that you're a_ murderer _._

 _He thinks that you're only deputy because you_ threatened _Avalanchestar to make you one._

 _He thinks that you're worth less than dreams of cobwebs blowing out in the wind. Worth_ nothing _._

" _No…" She protested. Bluesage would never do that to me- wouldn't he? "He's my blood, my brother. He made me a promise, and Bluesage has never broken his promises."_

" _He would break anything worth as much as his_ 'promises' _if it meant that he could chase his dreams of ash."_

" _But he's living them, just like I'm living mine. After everything he's been through, he deserves it."_

" _Don't you mean after everything he's seen you do?" The voice chuckles. "Here's the thing about your so-called 'brother', Stormlake."_

 _The hairs on her pelt stood_

 _The voice piqued her curiosity, and she listened, ears pricked. It was a weird world, this one. Nothing felt right. She was tired of being awake, and awake because she wasn't restless. Eyes grey instead of green, pelt matching Bluesage's blue-grey and silver tabby coat. She_ was _Bluesage._

 _She delved into her-his mind, just like the voice urged her to._

 _Her brother's mind was something she could expect from him. She'd been here before, heard the same set of instructions, and done the same things many times._

 _His memories were stored in the willow tree from BirchClan, but full of lights that showed memories that were special to Bluesage. There was one of her with him, laughing carelessly as apprentices. No- not carelessly, corrected the voice. Look closer._

 _In the centre of the willow's trunk, a memory glower a pale blue, with swirls of silver. Stormlake breathed on it, just like she had done so many times. Every time before this, she had woken up to Gladegaze's comforting scent, but this time, she wanted to know what was behind that light. Something that must be protected by Bluesage's internal barriers._

 _She breathed gently, this time, and focused her eyes upon the memory, willing it to open. And so it did, for the first time._

 _She peered closer at the memory, heart beating rapidly._

Don't ever forget this, Stormlake. _The voice whispered to her._ It's the proof. His greatest secret…

 _She felt a twinge of guilt, but shoved it aside. Bluesage never kept any secrets from her, and she had never kept any from him. She would know of this particular one. It wouldn't do any damage, would it?_

 _Stormlake shook her head to clear it of the voice's echo. She narrowed her eyes at the image that grew to engulf her vision, bathing the clearing that lay spread out before her in silver moonlight._

 _Stormlake looked around. She frowned, tilting her head to the side. This was the secret clearing that she and Bluesage had used when they were younger to practice their training in._

 _Frost had encased the roses and plants in a glittering sheen. The trees glinted silver. The snow was untouched, its surface still pristine and crunchy. Soft pawsteps announced her brother's arrival._

 _Bluesage was backlit by the moon, starkly painting the edges of his pelt- so similar to hers- in silvery lines. He sat down when he reached the middle of the clearing. The moisture in his breath clouded in front of him._

 _A whiskey jack's bright call bounded around the clearing, and Bluesage looked up, a calm movement, and twitched his ears._

 _Stormlake frowned. What was so bad about this? It was just Bluesage sitting in the clearing listening to the birds._

No, Stormlake. Look at how he's poised. _The voice purred in her ear. Stormlake peered more closely at her brother's relaxed frame. He's excited- no, he's waiting for someone._

 _Praise came in the form of a hissed word._ Good.

 _Pawsteps crunches through the snow's crust, and a silvery shecat appeared from the ValleyClan side of the clearing. Stormlake watched, horrified and yet riveted as this shecat approached Bluesage and tucked herself into his fur for warmth. Bluesage began sharing tongues with her, while she looked up at him with a gentle gaze. Their tails twined under the moon's safe gaze._

 _Stormlake felt like she was invading on something, and willed herself to close her eyes. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't turn away from the sight in front of her. She was forced to watch as Bluesage and this shecat- his_ mate, _began to purr, and talk, and laugh._

 _She screamed as loud as she could. She begged the voice to let her close her eyes, to forget about this. But the only response she got was a laugh that shook her to the core of her being. After that, she watched without any reaction as her initial shock wore off and fermented, turning into an intense sense of betrayal._

This is your brother, Stormlake. He has left you. You have no family left. He abandoned you. It was his free choice.

 _Stormlake accepted this all without argument. With this scene playing out in front of her eyes, she had no choice but to agree with the voice._

You understand now. If he can keep a secret this big from you, who's to say that everything else he's told you is the truth?

 _Maybe he isn't coming back after all._

/:;:\

As they left Chestnut behind, Bluesage couldn't help but gasp at the sight spreading down below him. It was another valley, framed by endlessly rolling mountains covered in snow. He could see the signs of newleaf emerging down there, but up here, in the mountains, it was still leaf-bare. Bluesage's eyes began to water with tears, and his heart filled up with wonder. A wry smile twisted his lips. After so long, he had finally been able to live out his dream- if only it was for three moons.

It had taken them an extra moon to get here. A moon and a half, it had taken them to reach this place. Hopefully, they would get back to the Clans in the same time, probably less as leaf-bare faded a bit.

Snow still carpeted the ground thickly this high up. Bluesage knew from experience that this snow only melted in the late newleaf or early greenleaf. Down lower, it had already begun to thaw slightly. Leaves were revealed in their bright greenery, flower buds spotted the ground, and huge trees seemed even taller with the snow slowly shrinking away.

He knew that it was this time of season that was most dangerous. Heavy storms passed through constantly, wearing down upon the mountain rock. The snow piled up and froze, became thicker and thicker until it began to thaw. The water would get into the cracks and freeze overnight, expanding those fissures and eventually would burst it apart. An avalanche would occur.

These avalanches, powered by water and full of heavy snow and rock, could kill a cat. They could outrun even the fastest of average avalanches, and could wipe a whole slope clean of foliage. They were fatally dangerous.

Packed up high on either side of the valley were huge cornices of snow. Deep drifts sat on top, glistening in the sun. They told Bluesage how much snow had melted, and provided rough warning signs.

They slowly made their way down the ridge, first walking along it, then traversing from side to side for safety. They didn't talk, knowing that anything could trigger an avalanche.

Earlier on, Blizzardriver had told Bluesage and Meltpaw that they would sleep in a cave in the valley, on the opposite side from the Rushing Falls, and that they had to enter the Falls at sunset. Bluesage would keep watch outside of the entrance and wait for them to exit. From there, they would head back to the cave and depart the next morning.

Three days were all that Bluesage had left before they had to turn back around and begin the second leg of the journey heading back.

Sadness wrapped its cold tendrils around his heart. He would be going back to the Clans, back to the territory he knew. He wanted to stay out here, amongst the wind and the snow and the bright blue sky far above him. He wanted to soar on the currents and shoot through the mountain range that spanned his entire world. He couldn't imagine anything but his mountains.

But he'd vowed to come back. He'd promised Stormlake that he would be back, no matter what. He was a cat of his word, and as so, he would stay true to his word. He then thought of Featherflight. He thought of their kits- who must have been born already. He wondered what their name(s) were, or if Featherflight had given them names.

When he got back, he would find her, no matter what, and help her name them. He'd learn their names, he'd watch them grow, and he'd support them, a father from far away. Or, he would join ValleyClan, and watch them grow up. He would suffer hatred from two Clans to watch his kits grow up.

But then he'd have to leave Stormlake. His sister, who he had made a promise to come back to. His secret tugged painfully at his chest. It had been hard to keep it from her- they told each other everything. It was physically wearing to hold back this secret.

He returned his thoughts the the environment around him. A bright, clear day had emerged, but gathering far on the horizon, rapidly growing and approaching, were massive thunderheads. He swallowed roughly. They looked to be four or five days away, if the wind kept at the same speed. It was a rough estimate, but all that he had to go on. They'd be out of the valley in three days, and hopefully through the Whispering Trees with Chestnut by the time the storm hit.

If they lingered, or the storm sped up its approach, they could find themselves trapped for days. An avalanche might even be triggered. That, he knew, would kill at least one of them, if not all, if they were still exposed.

He shook his head. He was out here, far beyond the Clans, journeying through the land. It was in many ways a dream come true.

He looked at Meltpaw, padding, with his head up, through the snow. Determination bathed the 'paw from head to toe. Bluesage smiled. Happiness lit up inside him, warming him from head to toe. He relished it, enjoying the thrill that the sight gave him.

As they reached the bottom of the valley, Bluesage realised exactly what he was doing.

He was living his dream. It was coming into form in front of him- an ethereal, smoky thing that slowly gained density and materialised onto form. A dream come to life.

It was his dream come to life, and he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

* * *

 **Well, that's chapter nine done. There should be four or five more chapters after this, so keep an eye out. I'll be updating regularly (or I'll try to!)**

 **SPOILER ALERT for Lost Stars**

 **~-0-~**

 **If you have read Lost Stars, do you think that the voice who is talking to Shadowpaw is from StarClan? (Personally, I think it's from the DF... but that's just a theory.)**


	11. Chapter 10: Song of a Gathering

**Hey everyone! I guess I'm updating just a few days late for once! Impressive, huh? Anyway...**

* * *

 ** _My Name is Bluesage_**

 ** _Song of a Gathering_**

* * *

Driftshadow didn't even flinch when she entered ValleyClan camp. The banshee wails of a queen having her kits were surprisingly common. Having been through the experience herself, she knew that it wasn't a bad sign- in fact, it was a very good sign.

The shecat deposited the few pieces of prey she had caught on her hunting patrol, and glanced around to see if she could catch a sight of her mate, Tumbletip, or her kits, Icepaw, Sunpaw, and Dawnpaw. She didn't, but what she did catch sight of was of the more curious of the two current kits, Horizonkit, peeking out from the shadowy depths of the elders' den. Before she could say anything, a silver-speckled paw belonging to Opalberry wrapped itself around the kit and yanked her back into the den.

A laugh emanated from the den. Driftshadow recognised it as Thrushcall's familiar purr. The former warrior had only been forced to retire due to a shock to the heart and the sound of his strong purr always caught her out.

She swung her head back to the nursery. A harried Clearsong hurried out, followed closely by Skywhisker, the second of the current queens, who was holding a splintered branch in her jaws.

The queen dumped the stick into a pile by the side of the camp and grabbed a new one from the heap next to it. Judging from the size of the used heap, Driftshadow could reliably say that Featherflight was close to the end of her kitting.

Another loud screech echoed throughout the camp. A few growls answered it this time. This definitely told her that Featherflight had been kitting for a long time.

"Can she just quieten down a little? My ears have begun to bleed from that screeching!" The ValleyClan deputy, Aspencloud, moaned from her perch in a tree.

Driftshadow frowned. Then she shook her head and relaxed her face, curling down into the snow to wait for Featherflight to finish kitting. She winced as another screech echoed around the campsite, causing her ears to ring.

She had to admit, her sister really was being loud. She hoped that she quieted down soon, otherwise she might find the whole Clan breathing down her neck.

But it was better that the Clan was irritated by her sister's screaming than find out that her kits were half BirchClan.

It wasn't that ValleyClan was against half-Clan kits- her Clan just had too many rogues and half-Clan cats already without Featherflight's kits being counted. If the Clan found out about those kits, then she genuinely hoped that they would keep them.

Her Clanmates finding out about Featherflight's kits being half-Clan would mean that she and her kits would never be truly trusted again. And the Clans had to be able to heal after the war, otherwise their Clans would get smaller and smaller until they barely exist anymore.

Driftshadow's ears twitched at the sudden silence that reigned over the camp. Featherflight must be done. Clearsong re-appeared from the nursery, a soft smile lingering on her face. From the elders' den, the sounds of Horizonkit and Hawkkit begging to go outside could be heard. Skywhisker rushed out of the nursery and bounded across the camp to her kits.

Skywhisker's sister, Aspencloud, scoffed. "Finally, Featherflight's done! I didn't think I could stand anymore of that wailing."

* * *

The leader's den was dark. The stone underneath was hard and unforgiving. But in the opening underneath the frozen waterfall, Stormlake and Avalanchestar were sitting. The light was splayed and fractured, casting blue beams in random places. There was moss in this area, arranged so that if Avalanchestar wished, he could sleep next to the waterfall. The blue light was tinged with red, showing the early signs of sunset.

"Thymeleaf has to go if Seedpaw is going. Morningmist and Appleberry need to go; they didn't go last Gathering. Honeysplash and Larchstorm-"

Stormlake cut her leader off. "Shouldn't one of them stay behind? If they're mates, then the one who goes will tell the one who doesn't go about the Gathering."

Avalanchestar was silent for a few seconds, tipping his head form side to side to help him think. "Fair point… Honeysplash will go and Larchstorm will stay. Then as well, Skunktail and Cloverbreeze and Raingaze, Russetleaf and Dewberry." He spoke with his brow furrowed. As he said this, he looked at Stormlake for her thoughts.

"Russetleaf will want to stay- Burnwing and his kits will stay here. Especially in this season, he'll want to stay with them." She knew the feeling perfectly well. Due to her position as deputy, Gladegaze was the one who spent most of his time taking care of their kits. Of course, she spent her nights with them, but she had to spend her days helping Avalanchestar and helping BirchClan.

When her kits were much younger, she had been reluctant to go to Gatherings. She hadn't wanted her kits to grow up without a mother, or for the camp to be attacked while she was away. It was only her leader and her mate how could convince her that her kits would be safe with her mate.

So she knew that Russetleaf would want to stay- but she also knew deep down that he shouldn't stay.

"Yes, but their kits are almost five moons old now, and Burnwing is perfectly capable of protecting them." Avalanchestar countered.

"Then that leaves Crestfeather and Goldwing, Bramblesky, Flamingstride, Larchstorm, Thornflight and Robinflight, Burnwing, Thawwhisker, and Ashpool here. Are you sure that we can't take the elders?" Stormlake gave him a glance out of the corner of her eye.

"It's too cold for Thawwhisker and Ashpool. In newleaf and greenleaf, I'll be fine with them coming, but it's leaf-bare right now and I don't want to risk it without Blizzardriver or Meltpaw here to take care of them if they get sick." Avalanchestar sighed.

"It's strange not to have them here. It's changed so many of the things we do. I mean, now we have to send messengers to the other Clans to ask for help. I really hope that they are back soon."

Stormlake knew that Avalanchestar would know who she was talking about. 'They' meant Blizzardriver, Meltpaw, and _Bluesage_. Again, she thought about that dream. A stab of betrayal punched her in the stomach, and it took all her strength to stop herself from keeling over right there in front of her leader.

"But hey- we do have Watershade checking in on us every few days. Hopefully that'll tide us over until they come back. They really are taking a while. I might have to ask the other Clans to send a patrol over to the Frozen Falls to bring them back. I know that it's been leaf-bare, and there have been an unusually large number of storms over the past two moons, but they should be on their way back by now."

"Hopefully." Stormlake breathed.

"Hopefully."

They sat in silence for a few moments, then Avalanchestar spoke. "What about you and Gladegaze?"

"What?" Stormlake frowned at her leader.

"Should Gladegaze go to the Gathering? I mean, do you want to stay with your kits?" Avalanchestar fidgeted.

"I think that Gladegaze will stay," Stormlake eyed him as if he might lurch forward and attack her. "And I will go. As the deputy, I will be expected to make an appearance."

Avalanchestar smiled, his tri-coloured coat gleaming in the sunset rays. Stormlake blinked. Her leader wasn't bothering to argue with her. The journey and all the stress of having a Clan without a medicine cat was wearing him down. Especially when he had a deputy such as her, who had other duties to do instead of helping him. She swallowed roughly. She had to make more time for her deputy duties. It wasn't fair on Avalanchestar otherwise.

"No, Stormlake. You'll be staying here, with your kits and Gladegaze."

"What?" The blue-grey and silver tabby shecat gasped, her green eyes flaring. "Why?"

"When was the last time you spent time together as a family?" Avalanchestar gently questioned.

Stormlake exhaled sharply. "A while ago." She muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Avalanchestar bent his head down to her level and shot her a cheeky glance. She smiled at her superior. It was quickly wiped off when she remembered what she had seen the night before. _Bluesage with… a ValleyClan shecat. He betrayed me._

"I'll stay here with Splashkit and Rushkit, then." Her three-and-a-half moon old kits always brought a smile to her face. She wouldn't mind spending some time with them, after she had selected a cat to represent her at the Gathering.

"Who will you choose to go in your stead?"

Stormlake didn't give it much thought. She knew exactly who she wanted. The tom was not one with a short fuse, but he kept his feelings under control and offered meaningful advice. He was the best suited to being deputy of all the cats who were staying behind.

"Flamingstride."

Avalachestar frowned, clearly taken aback. "Flamingstride? Not Bramblesky or Dewberry?"

"You heard me. Flamingstride." Seeing her leader's expression, she laughed. "He isn't a block of ice once you get him talking. He's just super polite. And his gaze and height doesn't exactly help him." She purred. Flamingstride's amber gaze was enough sometimes to make senior warriors tremble and the fiercest of cats back away. But once you got him talking, they lit up with a hidden fire which made him endearing.

"Okay, then. Now, do you want to announce the names or shall I?"

"I'll do it. Avalanchestar, you get some rest. I can take care of the Clan for a while if you relax for a bit."

Avalanchestar looked at her with a bemused expression on his face. "I guess I'll catch up on my sleep, then go talk to Larchstorm and Skunktail."

"Good!" Stormlake grinned.

After a tail-wave, she began padding up the dirt tunnel, shivering slightly when she re-entered the cold night. The sun had set while she and Avalanchestar had been talking, and the moon had just begun to rise, setting all the frost sparkling in the faint light. The stars shone down, bathing everything in silvery beams. The shadows seemed clear, and cats murmured to each other in them.

She bounded a few steps back under the willow tree, claws of sadness ripping at her heart as she saw the spot where Bluesage had loved to look out over the valley below. Now, she wondered, was it because of his love of adventure or because of his mate?

She leapt up onto a branch, and then repeated it, landing skilfully on the biggest branch. She padded to the end of it, then sat. Only Avalanchestar was able to stand on the branch while giving orders to the Clan. Every morning, she would sit on this branch to issue the patrols. And now, she would call the Clan to tell them who would be going to the first Gathering in two moons.

"All cats able to go to the Gathering please come to the Willow-Branch for the list!" She yowled. Her call echoed in the valley behind her, amplifying it, and bringing cats out of their various dens to listen. Not all of the cats came out of their dens for the Gathering announcement. Due to it being just a list, cats would get their friends to tell them if they were going to the Gathering or not.

"Hey Stormlake, where's Avalanchestar?" One of the younger warriors asked- Cloverbreeze.

"He's resting before the Gathering."

"Am I going to the Gathering?" Seedpaw burst out. Stormlake smiled down at her mate's younger sister. For the past two moons, she'd been in a slump. She had obviously been missing Meltpaw, and Stormlake felt sympathy for her. She missed Bluesage as well. Again, that image of him with that ValleyClan shecat flashed in her vision. Stormlake managed to hide her flinch, and winked at Seedpaw.

"Maybe, but I'm not saying until I can call out the list. So the rest of you, quiet!"

Several laughs met her call, and she felt a half-smile creeping up her face. She let it. BirchClan was her Clan. These cats were all hers to keep safe if Avalanchestar was to die. And she would serve them well. They were all her friends and family. They were her Clan.

"Okay, everyone. Here's the list of the cats going to the Gathering. Appleberry, Thymeleaf, Honeysplash, Morningmist, Skunktail, Russetleaf-"

Stormlake was cut off when a panting cat burst into the camp.

"I need to talk to your leader."

* * *

The nursery was dark, and much warmer than the cold weather outside. Driftshadow paused to let her eyes adjust to the light difference before continuing. She didn't want to trip over Skywhisker's nest and squish Horizonkit or Hawkkit- not that she probably could.

She advanced cautiously, keeping an eye out for stray nests. She wove her way through the den, finally arriving at Featherflight's nest. Nestled into her sister's side lay three small kits. The newborns lay almost still, except for the stray squirm and wiggle further into Featherflight's silver fur. The shecat looked down at them with her blue eyes. Featherflight looked up at Driftshadow, who smiled.

She sat down, flicking her tail over her paws neatly. She nodded at Clearsong, who smiled gently and slipped into the shadows and out of the den. Driftshadow watched her leave before leaning down to admire the kits. Two were shekits, and one was a tom.

The larger of the shekits was a blue-grey and brown tabby. Her markings were more similiar to fire licking up her pelt, but she had Bluesage's more blue-grey pelt. Silver slashed down her face, and brown whipped up her legs. Surprisingly, she bore a resemblance to one of the cats Driftshadow had heard stories about. Heronflame, the shecat who had been renown for her prowess in battle and her quick-fire temper.

The second shekit was mostly silver, like her mother, with the occasional brown spots and larger blue-grey patches. But her frame resembled Bluesage's, lean and wiry with longer legs and tail.

Their brother, who was the size in between the two, was mostly blue-grey. He was a blue-grey and silver tabby, but his strong frame reminded her of the wolves she'd sometimes seen in the depths of leaf-bare. His face was almost entirely silver, with the occasional blue-grey spot.

Featherflight was watching them with a gentle gaze, before turning her head towards Driftshadow.

"They're beautiful." Driftshadow breathed.

Featherflight nodded absently, before returning her attention to her kits. A dreamy smile grew over her face yet again.

"They look so much like Bluesage."

Driftshadow tensed, glancing around her to check for any listening ears. She frowned, suspicious of what her sister would say next.

"I might give one to him once he gets back."

 _What?_ BirchClan prided itself on being the only Clan not to have half-Clan kits. Every other Clan had at least one. ValleyClan itself had Oakmist, the green and amber eyed Tom who was half ValleyClan and half PineClan. Two half-Clan siblings, Ashmask and Laurelwing, whose mother was an AlpineClan cat called Flamesong, were brought up in PineClan. Ashmask moved to AlpineClan while Laurelwing stayed in PineClan with her mate Shiverwave and kits Lindenkit and Creamkit.

But BirchClan wouldn't accept these kits, even if Featherflight wanted to give them up to Bluesage's Clan.

" _If_ he gets back, you mean. He might never return." Driftshadow corrected her.

Featherflight looked up, her blue eyes blazing. "What do you mean? Of course he's going to come back!"

"Unless…"

"Unless?"

"Unless he dies." Driftshadow winced as she blurted it out- she hadn't meant to. She shrank back as Featherflight burst into loud, noisy sobs. Her shaking caused her newborn kits to whimper and yowl and Featherflight quickly calmed down.

"I don't want to think about that. He must make it back. He _has_ to."

Driftshadow could only watch as her sister curled herself around her kits once more and repeated it like a mantra. She knew that Featherflight was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince Driftshadow.

* * *

The ginger and golden tabby tom was heaving with exertion, and he collapsed as soon as he entered. His thin, lean frame suggested that he wasn't from AlpineClan- but from ValleyClan. Stormlake leaped off the branch, landing softly, and prowled towards the intruder, who was lying on the ground trying to catch his breath. As she neared, she caught a whiff of his strong scent that reminded her of jasmine blooms and water. Definitely ValleyClan.

His golden chest heaved and his yellow eyes glanced up and caught Stormlakeas she stood over him. She must have struck an imposing profile, as he flinched and tried to scramble away. He quickly regained his composure as she sat and instantly became less intimidating. He frowned.

"Where's Avalanchestar?"

Stormlake ordered one of the cats who was hanging over her shoulder to go fetch Avalanchestar. While she waited for him, she took a closer look at the ValleyClan tom's face, and searched her memory for him.

She cleared her throat when she recognised him, drawing his attention back to her.

"Hello, Adderthroat."

"Stormlake." He replied slightly coldly for her liking. He bowed his head to her, acknowledging her status as deputy.

She rolled her eyes. He always acted like this, from what she had heard about him. But she knew how to treat cats who were like this. After all, she had mentored Flamingstride.

"Why are you in my camp?"

"Freezestar sent me to tell you an important message. It's about the prophecy."

Instantly, the BirchClanners began muttering to themselves. Stormlake grimaced, then spoke to her Clanmates.

"This is a matter for Avalanchestar's ears and mine only." Stormlake shot an apologetic glance at Gladegaze, who raised an eyebrow cheekily and backed away, mouthing _I'll check on the kits_ at her. She smiled, and turned back to Adderthroat, who was no longer wheezing.

"How is Springstream?" She smiled pointedly at the tom, who had frozen still and was barely breathing.

"She's… she's good." Adderthroat replied uncertainly. Stormlake smiled. It seemed as if Aspencloud was correct that Adderthroat might have the slightest liking for the ValleyClan deputy's sister.

She continued to gaze calmly at him, watching him attempt to keep his aloof-to-the-point-of-frosty demeanour. Finally, he cracked.

"Who told you?"

Just then, Avalanchestar arrived, He sat down, looking every bit the leader that he was. Stormlake could see why the previous leader, Falconstar, had chosen him as her deputy just as she had died.

"Avalanchestar, this is Adderthroat. He says that he has an important message from Freezestar."

"Fine, then. So, Adderthroat. What is this message?"

Adderthroat swallowed briefly before answering. "He says that they've found the cat in the prophecy."

* * *

 **Well... roughly 4 chapters left, everyone! Plus an epilogue... Anyway, I guess I should say... if you have the time, go and read The Frost Will Settle by cityskyliinee, who is now on a different account- scrapingskies. Maybe something new will happen here after this is finished... who knows?**

 **Have a great summer, everybody!**


	12. Chapter 11: Song of the Falls

**V2: I think I fixed everything?**

 **Everything's beginning to kick off!**

 **Review replies:**

 **Feathershade: I know, I love them too. I actually remember writing that. I just thought like my smart self- hey! i have no idea what any of these cats' names are, and i'll put this here so when i definitely come back and check, i'll replace this with an actual name! :p Turns out that I don't check things that often... and when i spotted it i laughed so hard.**

 **Spongekit36: I thought about that for a while, and I guess my explanation is... yeah, she should be closer to Gladegaze than Bluesage. But when you go through such traumatic experiences, you tend to bond with whoever was there with you. After all, they'll be the only one who has gone through the same thing. Bluesage was her companion in her worst moments, while Gladegaze was her saviour. It's a kinda stupid excuse to be honest though.**

 **Oh and just a fair warning- there's a bit of a long section on avalanches at the bottom.**

 ***coughs awkwardly* and i know that one, alleignances dont really count as chapters and two, I've been neglecting my capitals. but hey, (and another one gone) I'm typing on my phone, and as I'v ementioned before somewhere, typing on a phone is endless torture.**

* * *

 ** _My Name is Bluesage_**

 ** _Song of the Falls_**

* * *

Bluesage peered outside, where the blizzard was still raging. He glanced back at Blizzardriver, who was grooming Meltpaw. Nervousness and excitement was warring in his chest when he thought of seeing the Frozen Falls. His paws itched to begin the trek for the day, and with a yelp, he plunged into the fresh snow.

He sank deep within the snow. He finally hit the older snow after the level reached his belly fur, and continued sinking until it reached halfway up his flanks. He blinked and turned around to Blizzardriver, who was standing at the entrance to the cave.

With a huff of breath, Blizzardriver hopped neatly down. And promptly sunk until only his head was visible.

Meltpaw, who had been standing behind his mentor, launched into a howl of laughter. Bluesage couldn't help but laugh alongside him. Amongst all of the snow, the only thing that he could see of Blizzardriver were his piercing green eyes that were glaring daggers through them. Slowly, the medicine cat began to see the funny side of this and began to laugh.

The fit faded away, and Bluesage frowned.

"We're the same height, so why did you sink further?"

Blizzardriver lifted up one of his narrow paws and placed it on the surface of the snow.

"My paws cut through the snow and make me sink."

Bluesage looked at him quizzically. The medicine cat sighed. "Show me one of your paws?"

He lifted one of his forepaws to the surface and placed it gently on the surrounding snow. Next to Blizzardriver's narrow paw, his looked strangely wide. He frowned at the pure white tom.

"What?"

"Your paws are wider. Therefore, your weight is spread more evenly along them, meaning that you don't sink as far as I do."

Bluesage nodded. Then, he looked up at Meltpaw.

"Hey, how wide are your paws?"

Meltpaw frowned at the warrior. "Excuse me?"

"Are they wide or not?"

Meltpaw glanced down at his paws. "I guess so. I mean, to me, they are wide."

Bluesage smiled. "Jump down then."

The small tom crouched, then leapt down. He landed lightly on his paws, then blinked with wonder when he barely sank at all. His pawsteps only broke through the crust of the snow, meaning that he could race in front of the two older cats.

"Thank goodness you don't have narrow paws like Blizzardriver. You would've disappeared under all of that snow!" Bluesage laughed. He swatted Meltpaw on the muzzle with his tail, then used his strong hindquarters to leap out of the snow and vanish into a drift.

* * *

It only took them half of the day to arrive at the Frozen Falls. Bluesage sat back and gazed with awe at the huge frozen waterfalls.

The flat light was fractured and reflected until all of the ice was shimmering with an inner fire. It glowed a faint blue, a burning beacon against the whipping winds of the blizzard. Rocks protruded here and there, dotted like the spots on a tabby's coat. The tips of a few pine trees poked out of the thick snow at the base of the waterfall.

The source of the waterfall was hidden by the top of the cliff. Bluesage gulped as he saw the barriers of pure frozen snow that held back tidal waves of powdered snow. All it would take to bring it crashing down would be a word spoken just a fraction to loud,or a small gust of wind blowing in the same direction. And down that reservoir of snow would fall, annihalating anything in its way.

The plunge pool was entirely frozen, and the river that ran away from it was covered in a heaping of snow.

Creepily, it was almost silent, except for the most eerie thing. With every gust of wind, the ice creaked and moaned, a deathly chorus to the raging storm around them.

Bluesage looked around to orient himself with the area. His duty as a warrior on this journey was to protect the medicine cats. In order to do this, he had to know where they were staying for the night and had to think of an escape plan.

The Frozen Falls entrance was located in the far left of the falls. The cliff itself formed a horseshoe shape that held the falls on its left and front side. The valley rose up to meet the cliff, and so standing within the horseshoe meant that a cat would be surrounded by walls of snow and ice on either side.

Bluesage nudged Blizzardriver and spoke to him in a low voice. "When you come out of the Falls, where will we be staying for the night?"

Blizzardriver used his long, elegant tail to point across the horseshoe to a tiny black dot that was barely visible further down the valley. To access it, they would have to trek out of the horseshoe and into the valley, then cross the valley itself.

He looked around to find a closer spot, but there was none. The only slight gap in the immense cliff face was the cave that Blizzardriver had pointed out.

Bluesage knew that if an avalanche was triggered, he'd either have to hide in the Frozen Falls and attempt to dig them a way out, or to bring them to the cave. The only option he preferred was to leg it to the cave and hope that they would get there in time.

As Meltpaw and Blizzardriver said their goodbyes to him, and entered the Frozen Falls via a narrow passage between the cliff face and the ice, Blusage bowed his head and prayed to StarClan that an avalanche would not be triggered.

* * *

Meltpaw was half nervous and half excited. His shivers only increased as they headed deeper into the dark, cold cave. Blizzardriver glanced at him with concern, and laid his pure white tail over the 'paw's shoulders in a pathetic attempt to keep him warm.

In the darkness, his mentor's pelt shone like a light. Meltpaw attempted to keep his eyes on Blizzardriver, but he couldn't help but have his gaze drawn away to the strange and new things he found in the cave.

As they progressed along the path, it became clear that it wasn't a singular cave, per se, but a chain of caves gently spiralling downwards. Each cave contained different things from the caves before and after. Wonders contained Meltpaw's concentration. As they padded further down, the caves got larger and larger, and held more amazing secrets.

For example, one cave contained a purple, glowing collection of mushrooms. A sparkling, unfrozen waterfall flowed down through them and culminated in a pool in the next cavern that was lit by glow worms. Pinkish crystals spotted the walls and chimed every time water dropped in them. The light spray spotted the cavern in drifts of rainbows.

One cave had a hole penetrating its roof. A hidden colony of moths and brightly-coloured butterflies burst out from the moonlit shaft and streamed around the two cats. They brushed gently against Meltpaw's tabby fur. When he looked at Blizzardriver again, he burst out laughing. The insects had left glowing trails against his mentor's fur, painting him in bright colours.

He caught his mentor smiling at him, before he grabbed Meltpaw with both paws and rubbed at his fur. Then his mentor stooped down low, his eyes level with Meltpaw's and spoke with a grave voice.

"Meltpaw, you've learnt at an extraordinary pace. Once I teach you about concoctions and tinctures, you will be able to gain your full medicine cat name. Do you have any preferences?"

Meltpaw reeled back in shock. "What? I thought that my apprenticeship would last for at least four more moons!"

"Well, yes, technically, it is meant to last a few more moons, but once you are given your name, you can still be taught by me. The name is given to you when I think you're ready. And I think that you are."

Meltpaw considered this as they padded through a cave with reflective surfaces that refracted the beams of light that raced down from an unknown source.

"If you're sure about this, I'd like to be named after my family. I think it's a trait in mine especially. After all, Seedpaw is named after our mother's mother. I'd like to have -feather, after my mother. Or, honestly…" Meltpaw trailed off, but continued weakly when he saw Blizzardriver's intent green gaze. "I'd also like to have -stream. After all, we've had the same names passed down. Sagefeather named me something different because she didn't want me to be the same as her ancestors. I guess she saw it as a curse as her mother died having her. And then…" Meltpaw swallowed and breathed deep. "She died having us."

Blizzardriver licked his ear comfortingly. As he turned and buried his head in Blizzardriver's fur, Meltpaw thought of the countless nights he'd spent in the nursery, cocooned first by his father, grandfather and Gladegaze, or Gladepaw as he was back then, and then a moon later, by only the newly named Gladegaze, and Thawwhisker.

He'd lost both parents in the space of a few moons. But he'd gained Stormlake, Bluesage, Rushkit, Splashkit, and most of all, Blizzardriver.

He lifted his head from the white fur, and smiled fleetingly at his mentor. "Thanks." He croaked.

Blizzardriver leant in to lap at his fur once more. "It's okay, Meltpaw. It does get a little bit better. But if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

 _Of course._ Meltpaw knew that Blizzardriver had lost both his siblings as well as some of his friends and his parents. Heronflame and Bluemist, his mentor's siblings, had been killed in a horrific accident that had claimed Bluemist's mate, Lakeleap's life, and had almost claimed Bluesage and Stormlake's lives as well.

The Great War had claimed so many lives.

Meltpaw nodded, and began padding once more, Blizzardriver at his side.

After they entered a cave with luminescent water cascading smoothly over glowing stones, and finishing in a huge pool with the path in the form of large, flat stepping stones, Blizzardriver turned to him with a small smile on his face. "Are you ready, Meltpaw?"

Meltpaw frowned, looking around. "This- ermm, _this_ is the Moonfall?"

Blizzardriver burst out laughing. "No! No, no, Meltpaw! It's the next cavern."

"Oh," Meltpaw replied, feeling slightly stupid. "Of course not." Remembering his mentor's earlier question, he continued speaking. "And yes, I am ready."

Blizzardriver smiled, and then swiftly leaped from stone to stone fluidly, his tail a line of white in the relative darkness.

Meltpaw eagerly followed him, his heart pounding at double its normal rate at the thought of both seeing the Moonfall and at talking to StarClan again.

As he reached the entrance, Blizzardriver whisked his tail over his eyes, and nosed him forwards. When he removed his tail, Meltpaw sat back in awe.

The only sound he made was a slow outbreath. His eyes became ready when he saw the Moonfall. Tears fell from his eyes, lit like stars, ran down his face, dripping into the silver lake at his feet.

The moon, hanging perfectly so far above lit up a huge waterfall that had been frozen until halfway down, where it smoothly transferred into flowing water. Snow framed the top edge of the hollow, and flakes drifted down, carried on a gentle, biting breeze.

The fall was glowing silver in the moonlight. In the pool, the moon was perfectly reflected, not a single flaw visible.

Meltpaw followed Blizzardriver, padding along a low, pebbles path through the lake. Water washed over the path, dampening his paws slightly. Blizzardriver led him to the fall curtain, and with a backwards glance, vanished underneath it. Meltpaw followed him without question.

After he emerged, he saw Blizzardriver settling down on a large outcropping just over his head. Meltpaw leapt up and scrabbled his way safely onto the platform. He copied Blizzardriver's position, and stretched his nose forward to make contact with the rushing water just in front of him.

When he touched it, he experienced a brief sense of freezing cold before he sank into darkness.

* * *

The land he emerged in was different from the StarClan he remembered. Instead of a welcoming face like Heronflame's, he was greeted by nothing but a cold starry sky.

Meltpaw stood up from the lying position he had awoken in. He looked around, and realised he was sitting on the cliff that overlooked the valley.

He padded through the thick snow to the source of the Moonfall, where several cats were waiting for him. He didn't recognise many, but amongst them he thought he saw the old BirchClan leader, Falconstar.

He sat before them and inclined his head formally. "I have come to hear more about this prophecy."

The starry cats regarded him coldly. "We cannot tell you more without endangering your life."

"What do you mean?"

They regaled him with another cold look. "Leave this place, apprentice."

Meltpaw bristled under their dismissive stare. "No. I came here to understand the prophecy you sent me."

" _Leave, apprentice._ " They stepped forward.

Finally, Meltpaw snapped. "No! Tell me about the prophecy!"

"Leave!" They screamed at him. "Leave and we will tell you what we can!"

"Tell me now! Why do I have to wait?"

The faces turned desperate. They pleaded with one voice. It cut through to Meltpaw's soul, and he shuddered. His eyes widened against his will, and a spiral of fear coiled around his back. "Leave, Meltpaw. Do it!"

"How?" He stuttered. "Why?"

They stepped forward again. He was now face to face with Falconstar, and she towered over him, her face contorted with rage. Her eye seemed to focus on nothing. "Leave! Hurry!"

Meltpaw cowered underneath the crush of bodies, and fell into the darkness.

"Run, Meltpaw. Run!"

* * *

Ice flakes lashed at his face, whipping away at high speeds. Bluesage blinked and spat out some of the snow. His face was stinging. His fur was buffeted by the air that rushed into his thick coat and covered it in freezing cold.

The wind howled in his ear, warning him of everything that could happen. Bluesage shivered and huddled closer to the towering rock cliff.

Pain shocked through his system when something smashed against his back. It hurt in that way it did when he was partly frozen and any touch shot unbearable pain through his skin.

Rapid thuds echoed in his ears, and he looked around for shelter, assuming that it was hail. The thuds grew louder and louder, and Bluesage shrunk back when he saw a huge rock break off the cliff opposite. His panting breath clouded in front of him, and his eyes widened when he saw clumps of snow showering around him. Bluesage lurched forward, shock powering his frozen limbs to move.

As rocks and snow and ice collapsed around him, he looked frantically around for any kind of shelter.

The thudding grew slightly quieter, and he spotted Meltpaw and Blizzardriver crouched in the entrance to the caves.

His heart constricted when he saw a huge slab of ice sliding precariously towards them. He started to sprint, howling for them to move. It was useless. The wind ripped his very breath from him, but he kept going.

All he could see was Meltpaw's green eyes wide with terror. He could see Blizzardriver sinking into the snow, unable to run from the ice that he finally spotted.

He spurred his paws to go faster, leaping and leaping above the drifts and powering him across short bursts of ice, all the while dodging falling objects. Adrenaline heightened his senses, and in a sudden, he was skidding to a halt in front of the medicine cats.

"Run!" He screamed hoarsely. He tucked himself behind them and gave them an almighty shove. He herded them in a straight path to the shelter of the cave they were meant to spend the night in. He quickly scanned it and realised with huge relief that it was clear.

A huge roar filled his ears and he flinched. He spotted Meltpaw slowing, and he sprinted to catch up. His own paws lagged for a bit, before he took a look behind him and saw the huge wall of tumbling snow and ice and rock all churning towards him at a faster pace that he could manage.

An avalanche bigger than any he'd seen before was billowing towards him. He knew exactly how dangerous it was behind that floating exterior of excess snow that had been thrown up. He'd seen cats devoured by them, only to never be found. They took a few moons to develop, one second to be triggered, and a fraction of one second to unleash devastation.

They were deadly and almost impossible to escape. So Bluesage did the only thing he could do. He nudged Meltpaw in front of him and used the strength his mentor and his training had given him. And he ran.

* * *

 **I'd like to say a few things about avalanches.**

 **1\. That they are extremely dangerous and can cause almost certain death**

 **2\. They are abundant in areas not commonly patrolled by Avalanche Control**

 **3\. All signs put out to warn you about avalanche risk are incredibly important and it is not advised to disobey rules during high avalanche risk situations**

 **Ski patrollers and Avalanche Control are there to protect you. Yes, maybe they can ruin your fun, but would you rather have fun and lose a friend or your own life, or would you rather listen and not lose any lives?**

 **Of course, if you are an experienced back-country skier or snowboarder, and you know how to stay safe in the likely event of an avalanche, then please keep others safe as well.**

 **If you are like me and would love to go back-country skiing, then go with a responsible adult, and only when the avalanche risk is low.**

 **How to attempt to survive an avalanche:**

 **First, attempt to escape the avalanche path by heading right or left (whichever way is closer). Don't head straight down unless it is your only option, as the avalanche is definitely faster than you.**

 **If you fail that, then try to find shelter such as a huge boulder that will not move or crush you. Do not use a tree. Do not attempt to climb a tree as trees often are swept away in avalanches.**

 **If you are caught by the avalanche, then keep in a starfish position like you are in quicksand. This will keep you afloat.**

 **If you are trapped underneath the snow, find which way is up. Either clear a space and drop something, or cry. I mean, either way works... Tears will run to the ground. Dropped items will fall towards the ground. Dig in the opposite direction to where the item or tears falls. If you can't dig, then clear a space so you can stand. Try to create a hole so that you can get fresh air in.**

 **The main danger of an avalanche is suffocation. Breathe slowly, and try to call Avalanche Control. If you can hear someone, try to dig towards them. If you can hear someone walking, talk to them and try to get them to get you out.**

 **Umm... but you might want to check those facts as I'm not a ski patroller or Avalanche Control.**

 **So, what does Avalanche Control do?**

 **If you've ever heard explosions or booms while heading up a mountain, that's Avalanche Control and the ski patrollers doing their work.**

 **They set up bomb trams across common avalanche areas. They send bombs (of course, avalanche triggering ones that are safe for them to use.) across these trams and these bombs will drop and trigger a type of avalanche known as a controlled avalanche. The idea of doing this is to set off an avalanche in a closed off area before an avalanche can happen when people are in the area.**

 **If you ever see rope or signs saying not to access an area, then don't. Just do not. It is likely that they have cordoned off the area to stop people from entering during a controlled avalanche. If you ever see a sign saying Avalanche Debris, then don't head into the huge clumps of ice and rock, okay?**

 **Often, ski patrollers will test cornices (overhangs of snow) to see whether they are safe or if they might collapse. If you see a sign warning you of a cornice, maybe don't go through the sign? No. Just don't.**

 **So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you just shouldn't ignore signs or ski patrollers or cordons. They're there for your safety.**

 **Stay safe, everyone!**


	13. Chapter 12: Song of a Revelation

**V2: I completely forgot to delete my plan for this chapter... but it's gone now. Sorry!**

 **Hey everybody! I sat down today and I wrote this whole thing out. I still had my plan for the chapter, and a few bits of writing that I did in between the original getting deleted and this version. If you saw Underneath the Surface, you would have seen my explanation for what happened. But for those of you that didn't, here's what happened.**

 **I wrote the original version on google docs offline. When I went back to edit it slightly, the site glitched and deleted all my writing. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Underneath the Surface if you read it! And that you enjoy this chapter (only one other chapter and the epilogue left!)**

 **Reviews:**

 **Dewcloud (totally not Feathershade): I think I fixed everything? *cough* those spams are my temporary linebreakers... my lines on the FFN edit thing don't really work well, and so when I type in google docs, I tend to use spams to break up the parts. But I normally go back and replace them. I also went back and fixed the comparison that wasn't completed. Sometimes when I copy over my writing, FFN decides that parts just aren't suitable to exist and deletes them. Thanks for catching out those errors! I would never have caught them...**

 **DappledleafTheBootiful: Thanks! Also, thank you for your character, Bronzepaw. I'm making the alleignances for the second book, and I want to ask if you have any preferences for his warrior name. Enjoy reading! (Just don't read Brew... it's such a mess of bad writing that even I can't read it)**

* * *

 _ **My Name is Bluesage**_

 _ **Song of a Revelation**_

* * *

The sun dropped rapidly from the sky as night neared. Twilight graced the ValleyClan clearing, and Featherflight had made sure that her kits were warm and safe with Driftshadow before coming out to see Freezestar.

As always, he was chatting with his sister Sootshadow in the branches of a tree. Featherflight leapt up, surprised, as she had been in the past moon, by the lightness of her body.

Freezestar's warm blue gaze snapped to her with its usual kindness, and she smiled at him. She knew that her thoughts were slightly biased, but she had always preferred Freezestar over the other leaders. He was the oldest of them all, but Shadestar was the most experienced. But to cats other than Featherflight, the AlpineClan leader's now deceased mother, Pebblestar, had always tainted their thoughts of Shadestar. Pebblestar had been ruthless, claiming lives in almost every battle. Avalanchestar was the youngest, and though he seemed to be a good leader and cat, he was slightly too trusting. Olivestar remained a mystery, but her brother, Fishgaze, her deputy, seemed nice.

With a whispered word in Sootshadow's ear, Freezestar sent her out. Sootshadow gave Featherflight a kind smile as she passed.

Featherflight returned it. She thought of her kits, and hoped that they would be as close as Freezestar and Sootshadow were.

"So, Featherflight. Why are you here?" Freezestar posed the question as a prompt for her to start her request.

"You announced the names of the cats going to the Gathering this sunrise. Driftshadow was on it."

"Yes, she was. Does she not want to come?"

Featherflight gave her leader a half smile. "No, she doesn't. But I do."

One of Freezestar's brows rose in shock. He blinked at her. "Featherflight, your kits are only one moon old. I don't think that you should leave them alone. After all, Skywhisker moved out a moon ago after Hawkpaw and Horizonpaw became 'paws."

She knew. The nursery had seemed empty without Skywhisker's friendly banter, and without Hawkpaw and Horizonpaw asking too many questions for her to answer even one.

"Yes, but Driftshadow has offered to miss this Gathering and take care of them for me."

Freezestar regarded her. For the first time, his gaze seemed hostile. "I can't help but wonder- and I'm sorry if I'm wrong- if you're neglecting your kits."

"What?" Shock resonated through her pelt, and a flush of embarrassment crept up her ears.

"Featherflight, they're a moon old, and you haven't even named them yet."

"But-" she blustered, before realising- she had been waiting for Bluesage to help her name them. She shut her mouth, refusing to give anything away.

"And now, you want to leave them? Forgive me, but that seems like neglectment to me."

Featherflight stood frozen, before coiling her tail around her paws and collapsing into a seated position. "I- I guess I've been waiting for help." She couldn't explain any more than that.

Freezestar gazed at her, his eyes filled with compassion. "May I ask, help from who?"

"From their father."

"And their father- is he alive?"

"As far as I know, yes."

"So, let me get this straight. You want to go to the Gathering to see if there's any news about him. Are you sure you don't want to tell me his name? Who is he, anyway?"

Featherflight swallowed, meeting his blue eyes. "Trust me, Freezestar, when I say that if I told you, you wouldn't be happy."

Freezestar gave her a melancholy smile. "I see."

As she got to her paws, he looked back at her. "You can go to the Gathering, but make sure that you take care of your kits."

When she dropped down from the tree, she could have sworn that she heard him speak to himself. "Yet another secret. When will they end?"

Featherflight looked back, and saw her leader looking up at the stars.

* * *

When Stormlake entered the valley where the Pine Falls were, she thought that she had never been this apprehensive. Gladegaze padded by her side, his presence comforting.

She thought of Splashkit and Rushkit, who were no doubt either playing with Burnwing's five moon old kits or steadfastly ignoring them. She had to stifle a chuckle at the thought.

But the sight of the huge group of cats mingling in front of her chased all those feelings away. The strong, enchanting smell of PineClan drifted with the clear, sweet scent of AlpineClan, and with the freshness of ValleyClan's newly bloomed flora.

It brought back memories of her apprenticeship, when she and Bluesage would look forward to every opportunity to meet their friends in the other Clans.

At the thought of her sibling, mixed excitement and sadness rose up within her. It wasn't just the thought of him hiding that secret from her, it was more to do with the fact that even after everything that they had been through together, he hadn't trusted her enough to tell her.

She had thought that he was the one other cat apart from Blizzardriver who had experienced the same. Not even Blizzardriver With a thought, she quelled the sadness, but she let the excitement grow.

With a barely restrained twitch of her tail, she bounded eagerly forward, searching for the cats she knew from the other Clans.

Stormlake called out when she spotted Hollowjay and Aspencloud and Springstream. "Hey! Haven't seen you in a while!"

The ears of the ValleyClan cats pivoted towards her, and their gazes followed.

Aspencloud turned with her customary sneer on her face, but her mate, Hollowjay, leapt forwards to meet her.

"Not another deputy," mock-groaned Springstream. "Aspencloud's already too much."

"Come on, you know you love me." Stormlake bumped her shoulder against Springstream's. "Have you seen Rainfeather and Ottermist, or Gorsewater? Actually, has Hopbird surfaced yet? Or even Ashmask? Shiverwave?"

"Here's Rainfeather now, with Ashmask in tow. Shiverwave must be around here somewhere." Hollowjay commented.

"How do you know that?"

"His kits have become apprentices, I'm sure. Ashmask and him will just gush over Lindenpaw and Creampaw." Aspencloud spoke. "And Gorsewater will be here- Flintpaw and Owlpaw have become warriors.

"This is the one thing that I hate about leaf-bare." Rainfeather moaned. The chocolate coloured tom rolled his amber eyes dramatically.

"What, the lack of Gatherings?" Springstream raises a brow."

"No, silly. The fact that due to the lack of Gatherings, I am forced to spend even more time with Swamppaw."

"Hey! Your apprentice is fine!" Gorsewater appeared, his face indignant. "He's nothing like Mistpaw. Y'know, I happened upon his training and his mentor was sitting there with a vacant face while he waved his paws in the air like some kind of crazed being."

"Oh, no. All he does is complain about Sagedapple. It's Sagedapple this, Sagedapple that."

"At least-" the tom was cut off when a yowl split the valley.

"All cats settle down for the Gathering!"

She looked up and saw Avalanchestar standing at the top of the rock that bulged out from the valley, silhouetted by the moon. With a quick glance at Aspencloud, they made their way together towards the end of the valley.

* * *

Featherflight kept her ears pricked for any news about Bluesage. It had been two moons, and she knew that they must be close to the border, or far away where no cat would ever find them.

Avalanchestar had let the PineClan leader, Olivestar announce first. The green eyed shecat stepped up to the head of the rock that jutted out of the end of the valley. "These recent moons have treated PineClan fairly. Our prey is running as well as it should, in this time of the season-cycle, and we have had a few new apprentices.

Pearpaw and Bramblepaw became apprentices half a moon ago. In that time, they have shown themselves to be hardworking individuals. Their mentors should be proud of them. Bramblepaw was apprenticed to Willowsplash, and Pearpaw was apprenticed to Oakfall."

All of the cats at the Gathering cheered the new 'paws' names, Featherflight herself included. She couldn't help but feel agitated at how long these announcements were taking. Her tail flicked back and forth behind her with impatience. She kept on fidgeting.

But when Shadestar stepped up to the rock, she tried to quiet her movements. The grey tabby shecat let her golden gaze flow over the gathered cats with limitless patience.

Featherflight focused on every word the leader spoke. She had earned it with everything that she had done in her short lifetime. It had aged her many moons. Shadestar drew every cat's attention the way moths are drawn to fireflies in the greenleaf nights. Her eyes even resembled those fireflies.

She would have accepted it if the leader spoke with cruel words, because of what she'd been through.

But the pale shecat drew herself up, lifted her tail with pride, and smiled. And with her smile, she seemed to come alive.

"Over the past moon and so, we have also had two new apprentices. They had their ceremonies half a moon ago. Creampaw was apprenticed to Smokefur, and I made Lindenpaw my apprentice."

She paused to let the cats of the Clans soak in this information. Featherflight raised an eyebrow with surprise. She'd never thought that the shecat would take an apprentice, because she couldn't believe that a cat so like her would ever find a kit that could be a match for her.

Obviously, many other cats shared her shock, because gasps and confused mutters filled the valley for a few seconds, before dissipating as quickly as they'd come.

Shadestar let her smile grow again. "They have trained harder than any apprentices that I have had the pleasure of seeing learn. Can we give them our respect?"

Featherflight's eyes widened with shame. In her shock, she'd forgotten to call out the apprentices' names. She hastily joined in with the cheers of appreciation. "Creampaw! Lindenpaw! Creampaw! Lindenpaw!"

Featherflight watched as Freezestar stepped up to the rock. Shadestar passed him, and they shared a few words and a laugh before they retreated. Again, Featherflight's tail started flicking; her paws started twitching; and she couldn't help but flinch at every movement.

"In the time after the last Gathering and before this Gathering, we have had two new apprentices, who were given their new status a moon ago. Hawkpaw's mentor is Sootsilver, and-" Freezestar braced himself for his next words. Featherflight took a breath along with him. Hawkpaw's mentor was a cat who everyone approved of, but Horizonpaw's mentor was... less so. Much less so. But he'd been in the Clan for moons now. It was time the Clans trusted him, even though they knew he was keeping a secret from them. "Horizonpaw's mentor is Dragon."

Gasps and snarls filled the clearing. Featherflight flinched when she saw Hawkpaw and Horizonpaw sitting in the middle of the valley. Hawkpaw was curled into his sister's side, his shy blue gaze half-concealed by his cinnamon tail. On the other hand, Horizonpaw was sitting up straight, her defiant gaze daring any other cat to challenge her leader and mentor. She even snarled at a warrior nearby to her, causing them to reel back in utter confusion.

She also spied Dragon, crouched amongst a haze of spitting cats. His mismatched gaze was much like Horizonpaw's, but he seemed to expand with defiance at the anger all of these cats were aiming at him. Featherflight sighed. The apprentice and her mentor were a good match for each other, she could clearly see, but the rest of the cats didn't seem to think so.

At the last second, she saw Aspencloud start chanting the new apprentices' names. Featherflight joined in, and she saw the leaders follow her example. Slowly, the call grew, until most of the cats were cheering Hawkpaw and Horizonpaw. Freezestar hastily began to finish the rest of his speech. Featherflight didn't listen.

First, Shadestar announces that she is Lindenpaw's new mentor, and then Freezestar announces that Horizonpaw's mentor is Dragon, of all cats. Anything else, and she knew that the cats would begin to get uncontrollably angry, and StarClan would frown down upon them from above. But when she saw Avalanchestar pass Freezestar on the rock, she was hyper focused.

If any cat knew whether Bluesage had returned or not, it was Avalanchestar. As he stepped up, she spied a glimpse of familiar blue grey. Her heart leaped, and she gazed at the figure with rising hope.

* * *

The full moon hung huge over Stormlake's head as she listened to the leaders delivering their announcements. She shifted uncomfortably on the boulder she was sitting on, catching a sarcastic smile from Aspencloud, which she returned.

"-and we welcome Featherflight's three kits into ValleyClan."

Stormlake's ears perked up at this. Wasn't that what Bluesage had called that shecat she'd seen him with? And she's been ValleyClan- it couldn't be a coincidence that Featherflight was ValleyClan, could it? To add even more to this, Freezestar hadn't mentioned the shecat's mate. He would've said that if she had a known father to her kits- but he hadn't mentioned anything about it.

The chaos caused by Freezestar's announcement had continued even now. She knew that no other cat had really noticed it.

But it only mattered that _she_ had heard it. She didn't need that strange, almost familiar voice to convince her of anything. She knew. Everything else Freezestar said passed in a haze through one ear and out the other. For all she heard, Freezestar could be announcing that their camp had been eaten by wolves and that it was now greenleaf.

As Freezestar finished and Avalanchestar stepped up, Stormlake narrowed her eyes and searched the crowd for any cat who looked like Featherflight. She knew that there was a very minute chance that Featherflight herself was here, but she had to have family here. A sister, or a brother, or a set of parents. Maybe even a set of former kits, but from what Stormlake had seen of the shecat, she was too young for this to be anything but her first litter.

Her eyes widened when she saw a silver and brown tabby coat. The cat had their face tilted towards the ground, as if in thought, but as soon as they lifted it, Stormlake was sure. The cat was Featherflight.

The shecat's blue eyes gazed straight into her own green orbs. At the sight of Stormlake's green, Featherflight lowered her gaze, an expression that resembled disappointment flitting like a shadow across her face.

She's grasping at empty air, thought Stormlake. She felt a bit of pity for the ValleyClan shecat. She herself couldn't imagine a life without Gladegaze. But then, she remembered what she had seen in Bluesage's memories, and rage bubbled up inside her. Anger licked at her insides.

A half-Clan relationship would end in more pain for Bluesage. She couldn't have that.

Instinctively, Stormlake tensed her muscles to leap down and confront the shecat. She didn't care if every cat here saw her doing so. She didn't even consider how useless it would make Avalanchestar seem. She just readied herself for the leap.

As she began to settle her weight on her hind paws, she experienced a slithering feeling, and then that oh-so-familiar voice spoke in her ear.

 _Don't jump. Wait until nobody is watching; after the announcements._

At the sound, she blinked, checking herself. The voice was right. It would first, seem like Avalanchestar had given her orders to attack before the Gathering, or second, like Avalanchestar couldn't control his deputy. And of course, it would obvious what she wanted to do.

Even more so, it was the first Gathering that hadn't been cancelled in moons. The leaders would allow more mingling that usual.

Stormlake smiled to herself. The extra time would provide her with enough time to carry out what she wanted. So she tipped her head into a more comfortable position and listened to the rest of the announcements.

* * *

When Featherflight had met her gaze, she had almost been unable to draw her own gaze away. The BirchClan deputy had so many things swimming in her gaze that Featherflight had felt overwhelmed. When she'd met that green gaze, so similar and yet unlike Bluesage's grey eyes, she had felt rooted to the spot.

Stormlake was powerful.

She could see it in her gaze. That gaze... Featherflight couldn't fathom anything like it. That instant when Stormlake had half-smiled, as if she'd recognised Featherflight, the deputy had looked like she had acquired a new target.

And that she would stop at nothing to achieve it.

* * *

Avalanchestar finished his announcements, but before he concluded the Gathering, he glanced at Freezestar, and beckoned for the tabby to come up. Stormlake made sure that she knew where Featherflight was before focusing on the view of the mountains rolling away into the far distance.

She could hear the Clans muttering down below as they wondered why the Gathering hadn't been concluded yet, and why two leaders were on the rock.

Avalanchestar began. "As I'm sure many of you know, we recieved a message from StarClan. They told us to go to the Frozen Falls, and to look for a cat with one green eye. Of course, there are many cats that have at least one green eye. Before we traveled here, Freezestar sent a messenger to tell us of something that he's found out."

The black tom turned to the leader of ValleyClan, who began speaking. "My medicine cat, Clearsong, my deputy, Aspencloud, and I conferred in private in order to think of any cats that had at least one green eye. But then Aspencloud pointed out that StarClan had never told us to look for a cat with _at least_ one green eye, but we thought, a cat with _only_ one green eye. Since we have very few cats with mismatched gazes, and even fewer with one green eye, we realised that there is only one cat with one green eye in all of the Clans. And that cat is Oakmist."

Shock rippled through the gathered cats below. Stormlake widened her eyes with shock. _Oakmist_ , of all cats? He was the type of cat who stayed quiet and shied away from anything that involved standing out. As a half-ValleyClan, half-PineClan cat, he had tried to become unnoticeable. Of course, he did a few good deeds, but most of the time he stayed away from action.

Avalanchestar cleared his throat. "And unfortunately, the cats sent to the Frozen Falls have not returned yet. I expected this, but now we must form a new patrol to be sent out there to make sure that they are okay."

At the mention of the cats sent to the Frozen Falls, Stormlake felt her heart sink slightly. It had always been less possible to make the journey in leaf-bare in two moons, but it made her concerned for Blizzardriver, Meltpaw, and especially Bluesage. She saw Featherflight crumple at her leader's words. She felt a slight bit of sick pleasure at seeing the shecat defeated, and instantly felt bad.

But as always, the voice was there to reassure her that her emotions were correct.

 _She deserves it. She thinks that she's the only one to suffer because of this._

Stormlake felt her anger rekindle inside her, burning fiercer and faster than ever before. She felt like she grew larger and larger with it expanding within her. But she kept it on a leash, knowing that she had to wait.

"And so myself, Shadestar, Olivestar, and Freezestar have selected a few cats, including Oakmist, to send to the Frozen Falls. The following cats will depart in a quarter of a moon. From BirchClan, my deputy, Stormlake, will go. From AlpineClan, Rowanbrook. And of course, Oakmist from ValleyClan. From PineClan, Olivestar's medicine cat, Watershade. We will have to share medicine cats until this patrol returns. All warriors on this mission will protect this medicine cat with their lives. Take care of yourselves when you are out there. You must make it to the Frozen Falls in half a moon, otherwise you will have to turn around and return. This mission will take a moon at most. No longer."

Stormlake glanced up at her leader, who gave her a grimace of approval. She was on the patrol to find Bluesage. That meant that she would reach him no matter what. She'd find him alive, as he'd promised.

 _Remember,_ the voice warned her, _he might not be alive. He doesn't keep his promises to you._

Stormlake lowered her gaze, her hope diminishing with every word.

She raised her eyes to the cats below again, and listened as Avalanchestar concluded. She kept her gaze on Featherflight while the shecat wandered into the sparse trees that lined the side of the valley.

She waited until Avalanchestar leapt down, before following and splitting off with a quick goodbye to her friends from the other Clans.

Stormlake cast a quick glance behind her before heading in the same direction that Featherflight had headed in. As soon as she entered the sparse thicket, she kept to the deep shadows and made sure that she was not being followed before silently travelling further along Featherflight's path.

* * *

Moonlit shafts fell along the path beside her, and suddenly, Stormlake came upon Featherflight, who was slowly padding through the snow, her gaze fixed on the stars. Stormlake burst into a run, slicing through the air faster than she'd ever gone before. She leapt upon the shecat, tumbling her over, and quickly pinned her down in the snow with a firm grip.

Stormlake brought her face close to Featherflight's and smiled. "I know your name is Featherflight. And I know that those kits are my brother's."

Featherflight stared up at her, blue eyes wide and ringed with white in fear. Stormlake snarled. Suddenly, she spoke again. "Why did you become his mate?"

When the shecat didn't answer, Stormlake shook her. "Answer me!"

Shakily, Featherflight complied. "I became his mate be-because I loved him. It was as simple as that."

Stormlake's gaze dropped. The warm flame that had flared inside her cooled and died. And when she rose her gaze, it wasn't a warm fire that flickered in her green gaze. It was the cold fire of ice.

"Don't tell _anyone_ that those kits are Bluesage's, or half-Clan. Don't breath a word of it to any cat." She brought her muzzle close to Featherflight's ear. She could hear the shecat's panicked breaths as she struggled not to screech. " _If_ I find out that you've told someone, then prepare. Because I promise that I will bring vengeance, and I never forget my promises."

Stormlake released the shecat. The brown and white tabby didn't get up, her eyes still wide with fear. Stormlake began to stroll to the entrance of the sparse forest, then looked over her shoulder with a sweet smile at the ValleyClan cat. "Oh, and one more thing. Don't tell anyone about this, ah, little encounter." Her smile dropped into a snarl. "Or I _will_ end you."

Stormlake turned and left Featherflight shivering in the snow. To her horror, she didn't feel a shred of remorse.

* * *

 **AHHHhhh I feel so bad. TnT but I had to do it. To be honest with you, I wasn't proud with the final result of this last scene. I had it planned out in my head, but when it came down to writing it, it just wasn't right for Stormlake. So that scene will probably be rewritten if I come up with a better way to get the effect I want.**

 **No avalanche talk here! :) Feel free to ask me any questions about Shadestar; she's my favourite character. Agh! She's just amazing... and the names of the three kits are already figured out, but I have something planned out in order to announce them.**

 **But anyway... ughhhhhhh. I still feel bad. My poor characters. Sometimes I feel like a puppeteer controlling these poor cats. By the way, the place that this is based off of are the Rockies (the part in Canada)- but some ideas such as Lake Jaysong are taken from Lake Delta in Whistler BC**


	14. Chapter 13: Song of an Avalanche

**Hey everyone! I know it's been a while, but I'm back at school now, and it's been really busy. A new year, a whole bunch of new things to get used to. But I found the time to get down a rough copy of this chapter. I spent a while editing it (surprising huh?) and so here you go! This was a tough chapter to write, but I did it! And again, I'm not quite satisfied with it, so maybe sometime in the future I'll rewrite it.**

 **I'm not going to do replies up here. You'll see why later in the chapter though.**

* * *

 _ **My Name is Bluesage**_

 _ **Song of an Avalanche**_

* * *

Bluesage sprinted flat out, heart thudding. He supported Meltpaw, nudging him along.

Blizzardriver was a tail length ahead of him, but his thin paws sliced straight through the snow, slowing him down and draining his energy rapidly. Bluesage easily caught up to him. His breaths came in quick gasps as he helped both cats.

"Run!" Bluesage screeched. He gave Meltpaw another shove, sending the apprentice racing faster than before.

Bluesage lengthened his strides, paws swallowing up the ground. Ice whipped against his tail, warning him of the avalanche snapping at his heels. He knew, his heart weighing heavily in his chest, that not all of them may make it back to the cave in time.

He was a trained warrior; the medicine cats were not as strong as him. The six moons he had spent building up his fitness levels as an apprentice had given him more stamina. He had developed his fighting while the medicine cats had practiced healing. But he had promised that he would risk his life to keep the medicine cats safe.

His mind rapidly figured a solution out. Guilt rose up within him when he thought of how this would affect Stormlake.

Bluesage remembered what the deputy had said to him when he had asked to come on this quest. _"It's dangerous out there"._

He swallowed when he remembered what his sister had looked like when he had left the camp. _"I can't lose you. I don't know what I'd do without my brother."_

And he recalled his promise to her. For the first and only time in his life, he held that promise in his mind and snapped it in half.

 _I'm so sorry, Stormlake. I hope you understand._

He could see the cave nearing, but the roar of the avalanche was louder than before. The rumbling was shaking the ground underneath his paws. The crushed snow and ice of it was nipping at his hindquarters. He remembered what his mentor had told him so many years ago. _"Bluepaw, your body can only use that final push once. Once you use it, you're gone." He'd nodded attentively, storing the information in his mind. Appleberry smiled at him. "So make sure that you use it well." He returned her smile, making a promise._

He thanked his mentor for everything she'd taught him. He murmured a goodbye, the roar of the avalanche swallowing up his words. He pushed himself through his boundary, and leapt forward.

His body felt warm and thrumming with strength and speed and peace. He reached Meltpaw and Blizzardriver. He gave the pure white tom a nudge.

Blizzardriver looked back at him, shock darkening his green eyes. The tom bowed his head briefly, turning his head to look ahead of him, and then arrived straight for the cave, his tail streaming out in the slip-stream behind him.

Bluesage edged closer to Meltpaw, his paws beginning to throb as his strength gave way. He didn't touch Meltpaw though, but instead, leant forward to whisper in the paw's ear. Meltpaw widened his eyes, panic lining his being.

Bluesage could see his mind working, unable to find a way to save the blue-grey warrior. But he finally bowed his head, and looked back at the warrior one last time.

Using the last of his energy, Bluesage pushed Meltpaw further forwards, and slowed down, ready to fight for any chance of living.

When Meltpaw looked back, Bluesage have him one lasting smile, urging the apprentice on, and locked the memory of Meltpaw in his heart, where he knew that he would never forget it.

If he was going to die, he was going to head into the afterlife knowing that he hadn't ran from his death, but had faced it and accepted his fate.

He turned, holding his head proudly, and allowed the deadly white mist to consume him.

* * *

All he could see when he opened his eyes was the misty black of darkness. He breathed gently, sadness filling him up. In his last moments, he had always thought that he would go down fighting for what his Clan and his dreams, but he knew that he had sacrificed himself for the cats he loved.

Looking back on his final moons, he let a smile rise up on his face.

All his life, he'd just wanted to see what was outside the known land- he had wanted to explore and see everything that he could see. He'd wanted to experience things he'd never felt before, to let the airy feeling within him decide where he went and when he stopped.

He would have seen such beautiful views, expanses and vistas so stunning they took his breath away.

Bluesage's heart had never felt so free as it had done in the time he'd been away.

When he had used his energy to help Blizzardriver and Meltpaw, he had done so knowing that he wouldn't return alive. He only hoped that Meltpaw would remember what he had said.

When that floating feeling came to him, he closed his grey eyes, and let his heart soar once more.

* * *

Light shone against his eyelids. Bluesage blinked awake. A disorientated feeling shook him, and he looked down.

A gathering of blue-grey fur pooled at his paws. His _starry_ paws. He stared at them in shock, then at the fur beyond them.

The fur that covered his body. Bluesage gulped and looked upwards, at the silvery snow just above him.

A grin covered his face as he realised what he could do. He took a breath and let his body become air. His paws pulled away from his fur, and he felt it brushing a final goodbye to him, letting him pass on freely.

His chest tingled. He floated gracefully through the crust of the snow, emerging easily on the top layer.

Bluesage let his limbs solidify, before leaping up into the air, twisting and kicking out with awe.

His shimmering tail snapped in the wind behind him; his paws had never felt so weightless or powerful. He let a cry break from his jaws, his pure happiness spilling out of him in silver waves.

Bluesage was so glad that StarClan had let him pass. He had feared that he would wake up to a musty stench, tendrils of mold clambering up dead trees, soggy leaves carpeting the sucking ground with squelching noises.

His grief at not being able to return back to his Clan caused to him to slow down and gaze out over the breathtakingly beautiful valley.

He'd left Meltpaw and Seedpaw, Blizzardriver and Appleberry, Avalanchestar and Gladegaze and Rushkit and Splashkit.

He'd left his kits and Featherflight.

And he'd left Stormlake.

They would not see him until they passed on, hopefully in a long while. But he would be reunited with his mother and his father, Heronflame, Sagefeather and Seedfeather. Xandriah, Falconstar, the deputy and leader he had heard tales of when he was a kit.

All of the cats who had left him before. All the cats he'd never met.

"Hello, Bluesage." A sweet voice drifted across to him. The blue-grey tom span around, confusion lighting his gaze.

From across the snow, a pair of green eyes and a pair of grey eyes met. Almost identical figures raced across the surface of the snow and collided in an overjoyed embrace.

Bluemist took a pawstep back, gazing at her son with love kindling in her green eyes. Lakeleap padded up next to her, nuzzling Bluesage gently.

Behind them, Heronflame and Sagefeather stood, smiles brightening their faces. Falconstar stood with them, and when she met Bluesage's gaze, she bowed her head with respect.

He dipped his head. More and more glittering figures shimmered to life, some faint, some as vivid as life.

Bluesage felt a tear curve down his face as his family and friends smiled, welcoming him to StarClan with them. Falconstar stepped forward, a smile lingering on her face.

The tabby leader gazed at him gently before speaking. "I'm sorry you didn't get to do all you wanted to do."

Bluesage looked at her. He realized what a life he had been given. And he was so grateful. For all of it. "But what I did do was worth every second. I experienced so much. I fell in love, and I came out here." He gestured to the valley and the open expanse far beyond. "I've done everything I could."

"But you still want to go back."

Bluesage sighed softly. "I do, Falconstar." He smiled, tucking his ears in slightly with embarrassment.

He drew himself up, bringing every part of him to focus on his next question "I can see her, can't I?" Defiance lit his gaze like a storm flashing lightning.

Falconstar chuckled. "Of course you can. But only once, and then you can't contact her properly again. We have to make sure that the future follows its path."

Bluesage drooped slightly, but nodded. "I have to see her once more." He remembered how many moons had passed, and swallowed. "I have to see my kits."

Shock flashed over Falconstar's faced, but it quickly vanished, leaving solace in its place. "Of course you can. We'll even give you something to speed you on your way. Just remember to become yourself again." She laughed.

Bluemist and Lakeleap stepped forwards, one on either side of the previous BirchClan leader. One by one, the three gently touched noses with Bluesage, before retreating.

They vanished, but before Falconstar left, she turned and smiled at Bluesage. "We forgive you. Destiny will come to pass one way or another."

She was swept away with the wind.

Bluesage turned to look out over the valley once more. He felt no different. Had their gift failed to work? He frowned, trying to figure out what had happened. The wind blew, whipping up the newly settled snow. It pulled at him, whispering in his ear.

His paws lifted off the ground, lightness spreading through his bones. Bluesage gasped with surprise, looking down, only to see the snowy valley shrinking far below him. His paws had turned into taloned feet, and when he turned to look over his back, he found starry wings powering him through the air.

Amazement brought a laugh to his throat, and he released his joy into the wind, soaring through the clouds to see his mate. He was finally going home.

"I'm coming, Featherflight."

* * *

 **And that's over. Just the epilogue left! Ohhhhhhhhh I'm so close. It's close enough to smell.**

 **Review Replies:**

 **Spongekit36: Or is she? You'll see more about Featherflight and Bluesage in the epilogue. Andddd if you read the chapter (which I hope you did because if not...) I'm sorry but the plot is the plot and there is no way I will change it, as much as I want to. Bluesage was one of my favourite characters because I based so much of him off of myself. See you next time!**

 **Bye!**


	15. Epilogue

**Trust me, this chapter is called Epilogue because it's definitely not called EPILOGUEEEEE in my chapter archive.**

 **Hey everyone, and welcome to the last part of My Name is Bluesage. The prologue of the next book should come out pretty soon (fingers crossed) under the name My Name is Oakmist. There'll be some new perspectives, and some old ones, but it'll be roughly the same length as this.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading MNiB! See you next time!**

* * *

 _ **My Name is Bluesage**_

 _ **Epilogue**_

* * *

Lake Jaysong glinted blue against the silky black sky. Stars floated in its depths, the surface calm and hardly moving. The leaf-bare frosts has relinquished their hold upon these waters, retreating to the edges of the lake, where spindly swathes of ice spiderwebbed towards the centre.

The air burned in Bluesage's lungs as he touched down softly inside the ValleyClan camp. The cherry blossom trees glowed a faint pink as he became himself once more. The moon cast a faint light upon the sheltered camp, the shadows warm in the faint midnight bright.

Bluesage padded silently towards a bramble den, following the sweet scent of Featherflight. His starry paws glowed gently as he entered the den, creating small circles of light against the worn ground and the soft grass that carpeted it.

He cast a glance at the beautiful sky outside, again sending a grateful thought up the the stars watching above. The heavens were stunning, but when Bluesage lay eyes on Featherflight, they could not compare to the exquisite sight that was his mate.

He stepped closer, her scent filling his lungs. A smile graced his face as he gazed at Featherflight.

Bluesage leant forwards, giving the tabby queen a gentle lick on the ear. His eyes widened when it flicked, and he raised his head. He saw her blue eyes flutter open.

He bowed his head, hating the fact that he was so close to her, and yet lifetimes away. She wouldn't be able to see him. No warrior could see a StarClan cat.

"Bluesage?"

He jumped, whipping his gaze around to meet Featherflight's stare.

"Stars above…" he murmured. "How?"

"Bluesage!" Featherflight gasped, her tail flicking back and forth. "When did you-" Her face fell when she finally realised that he was not fully opaque, stars glinting in his fur. Her smile fell. "No… StarClan, why? Why him? Why did you have to claim Bluesage?"

Bluesage rasped his tongue over her cheek. "It was fate, Featherflight. You can never change fate."

The tabby queen stared at him, eyes brimming with tears.

"I have this one night with you. Then we can only meet once you join me. In a very long while, I hope."

His gaze fell on what lay at his mate's belly. "Our kits." He breathed. Featherflight smiled up at him, pride shining in her face.

"Aren't they gorgeous?"

"They are. They look like you."

Featherflight smiled again. "And you. But I still have to name them."

Bluesage settles himself beside her, intertwining his tail with hers. "I suppose I could help with that."

Featherflight chuckled, gazing at him. "You could."

She rested her paw gently on the largest kit, a blue-grey, silver, brown tabby shekit.

Bluesage took a sudden breath. "She looks like Heronflame." At Featherflight's confused look, he grinned at spoke again. "Heronflame was my mother's sister. She saved me and Stormlake from falling off the cliff when we were kits."

Featherflight nodded slowly. "So should we name her Flamekit?"

Bluesage looked down at the shekit.

She had a mainly blue-grey pelt, reminding him of water. "How about Heronkit?"

Featherflight tried it, rolling it over in her mind. "It fits better. Heronkit… that'll be her name."

Bluesage touched his nose to his daughter, love swelling in his heart. "Heronkit…" He turned to the other shekit, the smallest in the litter. He looked at her, trying to match names to her.

The spots reminded him of a mountain leopard, and he tried it out. "Leopardkit? No… Silverkit? Snowkit, Lakekit, Thawkit?" He cast a sheepish glance at Featherflight. "The silver reminds me of melting snow."

Featherflight looked up at him, an idea shimmering in her eyes. "Glazekit! After how pine needles look after a freeze!"

"Glazekit. That's perfect." Bluesage grinned. He leant down to nuzzle the tiny shekit. He looked at his only son, love sparking in his heart. "And for him…"

"Jaykit."

Bluesage smiled at the sudden outburst. "After Lake Jaysong?" He looked at his mate, who was flushing.

"His pelt reminds me of you. And whenever I think of you, I think of seeing you walk next to Lake Jaysong when you left."

A sad smile touched Bluesage's mouth. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For loving me as the cat I am. For letting me trek to the Moonfall. For having my kits, and so much more."

Featherflight smiled. She reached forward to nuzzle him, their kits warm between them.

* * *

As dawn flushed the horizon a pale purple, Bluesage slipped out into the ice-covered camp. Water was glazed on the pine needles scattered around the camp. Bluesage lifted his gaze to the faint pink clouds that scudded across the sky, streaks of light chasing them over the horizon.

The sun broke the line, rising gloriously into the blue-bird sky. The simple, heartbreakingly clear notes of a songbird sliced through the morning air.

All around him Bluesage could hear the sounds of animals waking and beginning their days. Near the shore of the lake, he could see the faint blue smudge of a heron pecking at the shale.

As the sky grew brighter and Bluesage grew lighter, he saw Lake Jaysong shimmer with the sudden shine of the sun.

The breeze brought him the newleaf scent of cherry blossoms blooming, and he closed his eyes, relishing the sweet smell. When he opened them again, the blue of Lake Jaysong stood in stark contrast to the snow cloaking much of the landscape.

 _Goodbye..._

He let a smile wash over him as the last of the stars winked out of the sky, and he vanished with the passing wind.


	16. Alleignances and Chapter 10 Bonus Scene

**Again, thanks! Have a bonus scene!**

* * *

Chapter 10- Stormlake's Announcement

"-Raingaze, Cloverbreeze, and Seedpaw. And here's the list of who will be staying behind: Bramblesky, Crestfeather, Goldwing, Dewberry, Gladegaze-" She smiled at her mate. "Thornflight, Robinflight, Burnwing, Thawwhisker, and Ashpool."

She spotted Flamingstride looking confused, then his face calmed and he locked his eyes on Stormlake. She cleared her throat.

"And, Flamingstride, I need to have a word with you."

One of the ginger tabby's brows raised, and he frowned at her, before standing and making his way through the crowd of BirchClanners heading back to their dens to meet Stormlake.

She'd conveniently forgotten to mention to Avalanchestar that Flamingstride had also been her first apprentice. For the first moon, she'd struggled to connect with him, and had toyed with asking Avalanchestar to give him a different mentor. But then, she had realised that Flamingpaw as he had been back then, was really reserved. He'd been an only kit, and when he was born, his unknown mother had left him with his BirchClan father.

It was one of the reasons why she was so upset with Bluesage being with a cat from another Clan. Flamingstride's mother's actions had meant that he'd grown up secluded. She didn't want her brother's kits- if his mate was expecting or not- to suffer in the same way.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Flamingstride's deep voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up into his amber eyes. As well as being half BirchClan- not that the other Clans knew- her former apprentice was also huge. He towered over her, and with a shy smile, he lowered himself to a lying position, when he was just below eye level with Stormlake.

"I'm staying behind to be with my kits and Gladegaze. Avalanchestar wanted me to choose a cat to go and represent me at the Gathering." She could see the familiar flicker in Flamingstride's amber eyes. She knew that he was excited but holding it back. She shot him a smile. "And I chose you."

At this, Flamingstride let a huge smile cover his face and brighten up his eyes. "Really? Stormlake, thank you!"

"Don't thank me. You're one of the best I could have chosen." She could see how much this meant to him, and gave him an encouraging shove. "So you better be ready!"

Flamingstride suddenly shrank back, nervousness overcoming him. "What do I say?"

"Nothing! Avalanchestar will say everything, and you will just sit there and look intimidating. Talk the the other deputies; they won't bite! Well, maybe Aspencloud might-" She saw the terror on Flamingstride's face and burst out laughing.

"I'm joking! They're all nice cats. You'll be fine. Sleetshadow's practically immune to the cold, as is practically everyone in AlpineClan, and Fishgaze might not seem like the best choice for deputy due to his lazy eye, but he is incredibly observant and easygoing. Just don't say anything about Olivestar and he'll be fine. The same goes for Aspencloud. She can be sarcastic and will seem unfriendly, but just tell her information and she'll open up, okay?"

Flamingstride gave her a wobbly smile. "Do I have to learn all this?"

Stormlake laughed. "Of course not! You'll be fine, I promise."

 _Later on_

Stormlake was curled around her kits in the nursery with Gladegazeby her side when she heard her Clanmates return. She unfurled herself from her position and with Gladegaze at her side, emerged into the crisp night air. Leading the pack were Avalanchestar and Flamingstride, who were chatting easily with each other.

Gladegaze tucked his nose into her shoulder. "They're fine, Stormlake. Come back inside with me."

She purred, twining her tail with his. "I guess they _are_ fine." She mewed softly.

Stormlake locked eyes with Flamingstride and gave him a gentle smile. Then, she laughed when Gladegaze tried to tug her backwards into his paws with her tail held carefully between his jaws.

* * *

Allegiances-

BirchClan

Leader- Avalanchestar: black tom with white and brown dapples and bright blue eyes

Deputy- Stormlake: blue grey and silver tabby shecat with green eyes (sister to Bluesage, mother of Rushkit and Splashkit)

Medicine Cat- Blizzardriver: pure white tom with green eyes ; apprentice Meltpaw

Warriors-

Appleberry: tan and white tabby shecat with grey eyes and white ears

Thymeleaf: cinnamon tabby tom with green eyes ; apprentice Seedpaw

Honeysplash: lithe, short shecat with white base coat, pale ginger and cream patches, and hazel eyes (mate Larchstorm)

Morningmist: silvery tabby shecat with pale orange stripes and green eyes

Skunktail: handsome black tom with pale green eyes and a white tail (Cloverbreeze and Raingaze's older brother)

Flamingstride: ginger tom with cold amber eyes

Bramblesky: pretty shecat with brown fur so dark it looks black and sky blue eyes

Larchstorm: light brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and leafy green eyes (mate Honeysplash)

Crestfeather: silver and grey tabby shecat with brown paws and blue eyes (Goldwing's sister)

Goldwing: golden and grey tabby shecat with blue eyes (Crestfeather's sister)

Russetleaf: white and russet tabby tom with green eyes (Burnwing's mate and father of Flakekit, Needlekit and Snowkit)

Bluesage: blue grey and silver tabby tom with bright grey eyes (brother to Stormlake)

Dewberry: black and orange tabby shecat with bright, cheery amber eyes

Gladegaze: brown tabby tom with green eyes (Stormlake's mate, father to Rushkit and Splashkit, Meltpaw and Seedpaw's older brother)

Raingaze: black tom with rain like grey marks and dark blue eyes (Cloverbreeze and Skunktail's brother)

Cloverbreeze: pale, pale grey shecat with black paws and green eyes (Raingaze and Skunktail's sister)

Thornflight: pale brown shecat with brown eyes and white ears (Robinflight's sister)

Robinflight: mainly brown calico shecat with brown eyes and white ears (Thornflight's sister)

Apprentices-

Meltpaw: brown tabby tom with green eyes (brother to Gladegaze and Seedpaw) (8 moons old)

Seedpaw: white shecat with brown and ginger patches and green eyes (sister to Gladegaze and Meltpaw) (8 moons old)

Queens-

Burnwing: feisty ginger, brown and white tabby shecat with green eyes- mother to Russetleaf's kits Needlekit, Flakekit and Snowkit

Stormlake: currently acting as deputy and queen- mother to Gladegaze's kits, Rushkit and Splashkit

Kits-

Rushkit: white and ginger shecat with green eyes- mother Stormlake (one and a half moons)

Splashkit: blue grey, silver and brown tom with blue eyes- mother Stormlake (one and a half moons)

Flakekit: white shecat with green eyes- mother Burnwing (three moons)

Needlekit: ginger and brown tabby shecat with green eyes- mother Burnwing (three moons)

Snowkit: white and russet tabby tom with green eyes- mother Burnwing (three moons)

Elders-

Thawwhisker: unusual tortie tom with green eyes (grandfather of Gladegaze, Meltpaw, and Seedpaw)

Ashpool: grey tabby tom with hazel eyes (father of Crestfeather and Goldwing)

* * *

PineClan

Leader- Olivestar: brown tabby shecat with green eyes and paler stripes (Fishgaze's sister)

Deputy- Fishgaze: sleek ginger tabby with green eyes and a lazy right eye (Olivestar's brother) _{Fisheyes19}_

Medicine Cat- Watershade: grey tom with white streaks and blue eyes (Jadesight's sister) _{Pixelfun20}_

Warriors-

Ivytuft: dark ginger shecat with hazel eyes (Acornblaze and Lilywhisper's sister) _{Shaded Lily/DEATH}_ ; apprentice Darkpaw

Cherryfrost: spiky furred dark ginger tom with yellow eyes (Redfoot's mate and Pearkit and Bramblekit's father) _{Blizzardwhisper}_

Hopbird: dark grey, almost black tabby tom with a white underbelly and green eyes (father of Shadepaw, Shadowkit and Thunderkit, mate Forestflight)

Jadesight: grey and white mottled shecat with scarred green eyes (blind and Watershade's sister) _{Pixelfun20}_

Acornblaze: dusky brown tom with blue eyes (Lilywhisper and Ivytuft's brother) _{Shaded Lily/DEATH}_ ; apprentice Shadepaw

Briarfoot: spiky-furred black and white tabby tom with amber eyes (Lilywhisper's mate) _{Shaded Lily/DEATH)_ ; apprentice Cherrypaw

Lilywhisper: cream shecat with long legs and brown speckles and hazel eyes (Briarfoot's mate and Acornblaze and Ivytuft's sister) _{Shaded Lily/DEATH}_ ; apprentice Pouncepaw

Ashmask: golden tom with a dark grey mask and brown eyes (former AlpineClan cat, Laurelwing's brother and Flamesong's son)

Kestrelcreek: pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes (father of Darkpaw and Cherrypaw, mate Flurryfall)

Fellfleck: dark brown tom with grey flecks, dark, pale amber eyes _{Spongekit36}_ ; apprentice Spicepaw

Hollystorm: black shecat with bright green eyes _{HollystormDragoness}_

Willowsplash: tortoiseshell with black only on her paws, tail tip, ears and chest, a bushy tail and sea green eyes (Oakfall's sister) _{Skyleaf}_

Flurryfall: white and dark brown shecat with grey eyes (mother of Darkpaw and Cherrypaw, mate Kestrelcreek)

Oakfall: tortie shecat with green eyes (Willowsplash's sister) _{Stormbreeze of BlazeClan}_

Cloudpoppy: floofy white and ginger shecat with blue eyes _{Stormbreeze of BlazeClan}_

Apprentices-

Darkpaw: dark brown shecat with grey eyes (Flurryfall and Kestrelcreek's daughter and Cherrypaw's sister) (age 10 moons)

Cherrypaw: pale brown and white shecat with amber eyes (Flurryfall and Kestrelcreek's daughter and Darkpaw's sister) (age 10 moons)

Shadepaw: dark grey, almost black tabby tom with a paler underbelly, almost luminous stripes and grey lynx points with green eyes (Forestflight and Hopbird's son and Shadowkit and Thunderkit's older brother) (age 8 moons)

Pouncepaw: small tan tabby tom with white patches, a white underbelly, and blue eyes (Thornstrike's grandson) _{JustAGayFangirl}_ (age 9 moons)

Bronzepaw: a golden tom with long fur around his paws and a fluffy tail, a twoleg ring in his ear and green eyes _{DappledleafTheBootiful}_ (age 8 moons)

Spicepaw:a brown tom with deep red patches, ginger stripes and a black throat, amber-reddy eyes _{Spongekit36}_ (age 9 moons)

Queens-

Forestflight: brown tabby shecat with amber eyes(mother to Shadepaw, Shadowkit, and Thunderkit, mate Hopbird) _{Pixelfun20}_

Redfoot: dark ginger shecat with three white stockings and one russet sock and brown eyes (mother to Pearkit and Bramblekit, mate Cherryfrost) _{Blizzardwhisper}_

Kits-

Stormykit: grey-black tom with blue eyes (abandoned, adopted by Forestflight) (1 moon) _{Stormbreeze of BlazeClan}_

Thunderkit: brown tabby tom with a white stripe down his back and amber eyes (Shadowkit and Shadepaw's brother and Forestflight's son) (2 moons) _{Pixelfun20}_

Shadowkit: dark grey tom with blue eyes (Thunderkit and Shadepaw's brother and Forestflight's son) (2 moons) _{Pixelfun20}_

Pearkit: pale ginger shecat with silver tabby stripes and brown eyes (Bramblekit's sister and Redfoot's daughter) (5 1/2 moons) _{Blizzardwhisper}_

Bramblekit: dark ginger and mainly white tabby shecat with four red socks and yellow eyes (Pearkit's sister and Redfoot's daughter) (5 1/2 moons) _{Blizzardwhisper}_

Elders-

Thornstrike: tall, scarred, and short furred dark brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and blue eyes (Pouncepaw's grandfather) _{JustAGayFangirl}_

Flamesong: golden and cream tabby shecat with brown eyes (Ashmask and Laurelwing's mother and Pebblecloud's sister)

Pebblecloud: golden speckled grey shecat with green eyes (Flamesong's sister)

Brookerunner: a silver she-cat with white flecks and a long tail, sky blue eyes _{Spongekit36}_

Twitchflick: mottled brown she-cat with darker patches and black speckles, green eyes _{Spongekit36}_

* * *

AlpineClan

Leader- Shadestar: pale grey tabby shecat with golden eyes and white stripes

Deputy- Sleetshadow: grey tom with darker flecks and piercing amber eyes _{Guest}_

Medicine Cat- Sweetberry: pretty red and black speckled shecat with a white muzzle and brown eyes (Hiddenflame's sister)

Warriors-

Whitewillow: light silver and white tabby shecat with piercing blue eyes (Silverpoppy's sister)

Sootfall: mottled pale grey tom with black flecks along his back, hind legs, tail, white underbelly, ears, a crippled left paw with one blue right eye and one yellow right eye (Frostripple and Reedfur's brother) _{Guest}_

Mintstream: blue grey shecat with white patches and green eyes ; apprentice Mistpaw

Mountainsplash: cream and grey tom with a white muzzle and grey eyes (father of Freshkit and Freezekit and Silverpoppy's mate)

Hiddenflame: black and ginger tabby shecat with grey eyes (Sweetberry's sister)

Hazestripe: grey tom with faded white marks and amber eyes ; apprentice Eaglepaw

Rainfeather: chocolate coloured tom with amber eyes ; apprentice Swamppaw

Sagedapple: pale brown tom with golden and grey flecks and blue eyes (Eaglepaw, Mistpaw, and Swamppaw's father)

Wildshard: white and black tabby tom with ginger specks and green eyes (Darksplash's brother) ; apprentice Owlpaw

Smokefur: dark grey shecat with a white underbelly, face and tail, and a black tail tip, chest fur, and fur around amber eyes (Sleetshadow's sister) _{Guest}_

Gorsewater: light grey tom with white stripes and blue eyes (Flightpaw and Owlpaw's father and Blossomswirl's mate) _{Pixelfun20}_

Darksplash: black shecat with silver splashes down her sides and hazel eyes (Wildshard's sister) ; apprentice Flightpaw

Wolfpelt: fast wolf like furred tom with amber eyes _{j.b.a.2/Wolfstar of RavenClan}_

Reedfur: grey tabby tom with darker flecks and stripes, a lighter chest, muzzle, legs and ears, yellow eyes and an unusually short, fluffy tail (Frostripple and Sootfall's brother) _{Guest}_

Blossomswirl: tortie shecat with hazel eyes (Flightpaw and Owlpaw's mother and Gorsewater's mate)

Rowanbrook: russet tom with brown eyes

Frostripple: white tom with grey ripple like stripes and dark blue eyes (Reedfur and Sootfall's brother) _{Guest}_

Shiverwave: silver and white tom with grey eyes (father to Lindenkit and Creamkit, Laurelwing's mate)

Ottermist: russet and brown tabby shecat with golden eyes (Vixenstream's sister)

Vixenstream: russet and golden tabby shecat with golden eyes (Ottermist's sister)

Apprentices-

Eaglepaw: grey and brown tabby tom with green eyes (Mistpaw and Swamppaw's half brother and Sagedapple's son) (8 moons old)

Owlpaw: brown tom with darker spots, paws, tail-tip and amber eyes (Gorsewater and Blossomswirl's son and Flightpaw's brother) _{Pixelfun20}_ (10 moons old)

Flightpaw: dark grey shecat with amber eyes (Gorsewater and Blossomswirl's daughter and Owlpaw's sister) _{Pixelfun20}_ (10 moons old)

Swamppaw: brown tabby tom with a grey face and tail and amber eyes (Mistpaw's brother, Eaglepaw's half brother and Sagedapple's son) _{Guest}_ (8 moons old)

Mistpaw: small grey tom with a slight tint of blue and a fleck of silver on his chest, paws, and tail tip, and pale green eyes (Eaglepaw's half brother, Swamppaw's brother, Sagedapple's son) _{Guest}_ (8 moons old)

Queens-

Silverpoppy: light silver and brown tabby shecat with blue eyes (Whitewillow's sister, mother to Freshkit and Freezekit and Mountainsplash's mate)

Laurelwing: cream and black tabby shecat with green eyes (mother to Shiverwave's kits Lindenkit and Creamkit, and Ashmask's sister)

Kits-

Lindenkit: black tabby tom with startling green eyes (five and a half moons)

Creamkit: dark cream shecat with amber eyes (five and a half moons)

Freshkit: russet shecat with silver splashes and grey eyes (two and a half moons)

Freezekit: grey and cream tabby shecat with grey eyes (two and a half moons)

Elders-

Dustblow: dark brown tabby tom with a lighter chest and tail and dark blue eyes (Harepounce and Lightcloud's brother) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Harepounce: sleek brown mottled tom with a grey tinge around his muzzle and a white underbelly and pale green (Lightcloud and Dustblow's brother) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Lightcloud: very pale brown tom with sky blue eyes and long thick fluffy fur (Dustblow and Harepounce's brother) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

* * *

ValleyClan

Leader- Freezestar: grey and white tabby tom with warm blue eyes (brother to Sootsilver)

Deputy- Aspencloud: pretty cinnamon tabby with hazel eyes (sister to Skywhisker and Springstream and mate to Hollowjay)

Medicine Cat- Clearsong: gentle, beautiful pale golden colour with cream tabby stripes and hazel eyes

Warriors-

Sorrelcreek: blue gray tabby tom with green eyes brown spots shaped like leaves trailing down his back and onto his tail and hind legs (Bloomfoot's mate)

Dragon: pale gold except for his belly and one paw, one blue eye and one purple eye, extra long tail, crystal shaped black markings on his back (former rouge) _{KawaiiVampirecat}_

Flintclaw: gray tabby tom with a black tail, ears, and paws and pale green eyes, whose ticks never seem to go away (Falconfeather's brother and Sorrelcreek's son) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Falconfeather: brown tom with grey flecks on his back, hindlegs, and tail, dark brown ears, neck and paws, and pale amber eyes (Flintclaw's brother and Sorrelcreek's son) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Moorerunner: lean ginger and white tom with black patches, and pale blue eyes (Palesun and Adderthroat's brother and Thrushcall's son) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Palesun: skinny and very pale golden tom with a white underbelly, muzzle, paws, and tail, darker patches over his body and pale blue eyes (Moorerunner and Adderthroat's brother and Thrushcall's son) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Adderthroat: tall, lean ginger tabby tom with a golden chest, tail tip, ear tips, paws, and throat, and yellow eyes (Moorerunner and Palesun's brother and Thrushcall's son) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Bloomfoot: tortie shecat with bright amber eyes (Sorrelcreek's mate)

Bearpelt: brown tom with a gold chest and tail and amber eyes (father to Horizonkit and Hawkkit and mate to Skywhisker) ; apprentice Sunpaw

Deerleap: brown and white tabby shecat with green eyes ; apprentice Dawnpaw

Velvet: a former kitty pet shecat with tortie fur and green eyes (former kitty pet)

Sootsilver: silver and black tabby shecat with warm blue eyes (sister to Freezestar)

Hollowjay: unusual tortie tom with brown eyes (mate to Aspencloud)

Oakmist: pale brown tabby tom with one amber eye and one green eye (half ValleyClan and half PineClan)

Antlerheart: brown and red tabby shecat with green eyes ; apprentice Icepaw

Driftshadow: silver and brown tabby shecat with grey eyes (mother of Icepaw, Dawnpaw, Sunpaw and sister of Featherflight)

Tumbletip: white and golden tom with hazel eyes (father of Icepaw, Dawnpaw, Sunpaw, mate of Driftshadow)

Springstream: cinnamon tabby shecat with hazel eyes (sister of Skywhisker and Aspencloud)

Apprentices-

Icepaw: silver shecat with brown paws and a golden tail tip and grey eyes (6 moons old)

Dawnpaw: brown and gold tabby shecat with hazel eyes (6 moons old)

Sunpaw: white and gold tabby shecat with bright grey eyes (6 moons old)

Queens-

Featherflight: a silver and brown tabby shecat with bright blue eyes (expecting kits)

Skywhisker: cinnamon tabby with a white face and blue eyes (mother to Bearpelt's kits, Hawkkit and Horizonkit)

Kits-

Horizonkit: golden shecat with a russet chest and bright hazel eyes (five moons old)

Hawkkit: cinnamon tabby with white upper half and blue eyes (five moons old)

Elders-

Thrushcall: golden tom with a lighter underbelly, tail, ears, and throat, darker patches of gold all over his body and yellow eyes (retired early because of shock damaging his heart and is the father of Moorerunner, Palesun, and Adderthroat) _{Mars Dust aka Guest}_

Opalberry: pale, pale grey shecat with dark red patches down her spine and amber eyes, former medicine cat with one blind, scarred eye

* * *

Others:

Chestnut: brown tom with golden eyes

Yomaris: arrogant red tabby tom with brown eyes

* * *

 **Thank you to the following users who submitted a character:**

 **Fisheyes19**

 **HollystormDragoness**

 **Pixelfun20**

 **Mars Dust aka Guest**

 **Stormbreeze of BlazeClan**

 **Shaded Lily/DEATH**

 **(Skyleaf) - thanks for the submission, but I had no space remaining. I might be able to use Willowpaw later on in the story, but for now there is no space.**

 **Blizzardwhisper**

 **j.b.a.2/Wolfstar of RavenClan**

 **JustAGayFangirl**

 **KawaiiVampireCat**

 **(Guest)- I'm not sure if you are Mars Dust or not, so tell me and I'll edit this final post to show the correct name for your characters. Anyway, I think you'll like the most recent chapter**

 **DappledleafTheBootiful**

 **Spongekit36**


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